FBRI Receives Multi-Million Dollar Grant to Study Wood to Jet Fuel Technology

The U.S Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration announced it will invest more than $4 million dollars to diversify and grow Maine’s economy, with funds earmarked for the forest sector. Additionally, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has announced a $3.3 million dollar award for the Forest Bioproducts Research Institute (FBRI) at the University of Maine to help advance their wood to jet fuel technology. The award will help FBRI research the conversion of cellulose and lignin to liquid hydrocarbon fuels, while using the hemicellulose and cellulose fiber extracts to develop other high-value products. It is hoped co-production of fuel and other value products will improve the technology and help make it economically feasible. More information, including a summary of the economic development grants, can be found on the UMaine News page.