The grant, announced last week, is one of the largest in Maine's history, and will support a cutting edge research and development program based in Maine.
The university will partner with Red Shield Environmental in Old Town, and American Process Incorporated, to develop a method of making ethanol from forest-based materials.
The method will be researched and developed at a demonstration plant that is slated to be built at the Red Shield facility, which is the site of the former Georgia Pacific paper mill.
University of Maine president Robert Kennedy says its an exciting announcement for Maine's future:
"This grant moves us a giant step closer to commercializing University of Maine technology, moving from an idea--to mass production. This is how universities lead economic development and on a large scale...and its how research can lead to business development and jobs."
Senior economic advisor, Jack Cashman, says the 30 million dollar grant will provide the state the opportunity to build upon Maine's already existing pulp and paper infrastructure to lead the nation, and maybe the world, in forest products production.
