Proposed wood chip facility announced

A proposed wood chip facility has been announced in Prospect. It is to be sited at the former Lane pit on the CM&Q:

http://bangordailynews.com/2015/01/03/n ... questions/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A surprisingly well-researched article. Maine has been inundated with export-based wood fuel investment projects (at least six or seven) in the last several years. None has gone further than the concept stage. The state hasn't even become self-sufficient regarding wood pellet production. It would be great if it happens, but I won't be holding my breath.

This one is real actually... awarded a $750K IRAP grant this past year with a $1.4M match to rehab sidings in Greenville, Millinocket, Brownville and on site in Prospect (At the Lane site) for rail improvements totaling $2.1M. Of course anything can change in a millisecond but I have it on good authority this will happen (or at least be attempted)

Execs from Europe are coming in early Jan to hopefully sign a contract ahead of schedule. Rail bit won't happen until late summer. Trucks for now and a boat from Europe

This one is real actually...

Unfortunately, so were Thermogen's torrification plants in Millinocket and Eastport, as was FE Wood's plant in Baldwin, as was International Wood Fuels in Burnham Junction, as was/is? Carrier's wood chip project in Eastport that has been one to two months from starting for years. And while not wood fuel-related, I'm tempted to throw in MB Bark in Auburn. A real, live business that got a siding built by the state that, contrary to all the hype about them shipping immediately, apparently remains unused.

Causes for a raised eyebrow regarding this project are manifold: Mr. House's ambitious timetable is not realistic. He's apparently never worked in the wood fuels market, but expects to go from concept to purchasing logs for chipping operations within the next month... and to full-scale operations by the end of this year. Also, he's got the development backward: Phase I is to rehab the rail infrastructure and phase II is to build the plant? Better still, he doesn't even have a plant designed and he knows what rail infrastructure is needed? If it works, great, but this just doesn't smell right.

Cowford wrote:

This one is real actually...

Unfortunately, so were Thermogen's torrification plants in Millinocket and Eastport, as was FE Wood's plant in Baldwin, as was International Wood Fuels in Burnham Junction, as was/is? Carrier's wood chip project in Eastport that has been one to two months from starting for years. And while not wood fuel-related, I'm tempted to throw in MB Bark in Auburn. A real, live business that got a siding built by the state that, contrary to all the hype about them shipping immediately, apparently remains unused.

Causes for a raised eyebrow regarding this project are manifold: Mr. House's ambitious timetable is not realistic. He's apparently never worked in the wood fuels market, but expects to go from concept to purchasing logs for chipping operations within the next month... and to full-scale operations by the end of this year. Also, he's got the development backward: Phase I is to rehab the rail infrastructure and phase II is to build the plant? Better still, he doesn't even have a plant designed and he knows what rail infrastructure is needed? If it works, great, but this just doesn't smell right.

Carrier is happening too.... just delayed.

Tony Wood is still trying to find $$$

This may not pan out but I'm very certain there will be an attempt and some product will move.