Road Map to Maine's Future
A second golden age for Maine’s forest economy awaits the right market and the right investors.
But how do we get there?
Biobased Maine is taking the lead in producing a roadmap—an investment prospectus for biobased investors. Scheduled for release in 2020, it will make a strong business case for Maine as an ideal location for biobased manufacturing.
The roadmap will include data and guidance, including:
- A look at the rising global market for biobased materials and products, including biofuels, biochemical, bioplastics, and nanocellulose.
- A biomass cost study that characterizes the wood in Maine that lacks markets and could be used as feedstock for biobased manufacturing.
- A global industrial sugar cost study that compares the available technologies for converting wood into valuable industrial sugars and quantifies the cost of these processes
- An inventory of industrial infrastructure for co-location that offers combined heat and power, wastewater treatment, and existing permits; that might be suitable for biobased manufacturing.
- A transportation study assessing the state's transportation infrastructure, including options by rail and sea. Maine’s unique deepwater ports, for example, provide ready access to global markets.
- A workforce study assessing the state's solid, experienced workforce, with a strong history in manufacturing.
- Presentation and analysis of Maine’s cost concerns and challenges.
- Strategic recommendations in the areas of infrastructure and workforce, landownership, technology, and sustainability.