Mascoma Corporation has received a total of $26.0 million in funding
from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and an
overall contribution of $23.5 million from the State of Michigan for
the development of a cellulosic fuel production facility that uses
non-food biomass to convert woodchips into fuel.
The facility will be located in Chippewa County in the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan, in the town of Kinross. The funding provided by
DOE and the State of Michigan will accelerate Mascoma’s construction of
the facility and the scale-up.
Mascoma chose to locate the facility in the Upper Peninsula of
Michigan after an extensive review process of other location options.
The decision was based largely on the support provided by the State of
Michigan, the availability of extensive sustainable feedstock in
forests and other agricultural biomass resources in the region, and the
expertise available through the Michigan-based project partners and
workforce.
Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm recently signed a package of energy laws creating a 10% renewable energy portfolio for the state.
"Michigan is proud to partner with Mascoma as a part of our
commitment to lead the nation in alternative energy production," said
Governor Granholm. "This company, and their partners, will create jobs
in Michigan as they develop the next generation of cellulosic ethanol
that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and make fuel more
affordable for our families."
"This funding will allow us to accelerate commercial production
of low cost, low carbon fuel that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and promote energy independence," Bruce A. Jamerson, Chairman and CEO
of Mascoma Corporation, said.
Drawing on Michigan’s substantial natural resources, the
facility will use sustainably harvested mixed hardwood chips and other
non-food biomass materials as the raw material for the production of
cellulosic fuel. The first phase of the project will develop
preliminary engineering designs and permitting required to initiate
construction at the Kinross site.
Mascoma is partnering on this project with a well-established
natural-resources company, JM Longyear, based in Marquette, Michigan.
Longyear was founded 120 years ago and is experienced in timber, mining
and project management.
The collaboration will involve the formation of a new company,
Frontier Renewable Resources, which will own the project. In addition,
Mascoma will team up with Michigan State and Michigan Tech Universities
to tailor Mascoma’s technology and supply chain options for the
specific Michigan feedstocks used in production.
Mascoma’s production facility is expected to produce 40 million gallons of ethanol and other valuable fuel products per year. General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) and Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO), which are both investors in Mascoma, are providing support for this project.
About Mascoma
Mascoma Corporation is a leader in advanced low-carbon biofuels
technology and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. Using proprietary
microorganisms and enzymes developed at the company’s laboratories in
Lebanon, New Hampshire, Mascoma is deploying advanced technologies that
enable the creation of fuel from a range of non-food biomass
feedstocks. Mascoma is developing demonstration and commercial scale
production facilities globally.
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