Athens pellet mill opens (Maine)

[jpak]

http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/027633.html

ATHENS — Athens welcomed a new business to town on Friday as Maine Woods Pellet Company, LLC officially opened its doors. Officials cut the ribbon to open the facility before being led on a tour of the building.

This achievement represents the result of teamwork among many individuals and organizations, both private and public. It was made possible through partnership of Farm Credit of Maine and two Maine companies- Maine Biomass Fuels and Linkletter and Sons, as well as the Town of Athens, Somerset Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Economic and Community Development, and USDA Rural Development.

USDA Rural Development State Director Michael W. Aube presented a check representing an investment by the agency of $700,000 through a Value-Added Agriculture Product Market Development Grant and a Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Program Grant.

Located on the site of the former Boralex biomass site in the Kennebec Valley Pine Tree Zone, Maine Woods Pellet, LLC is owned by Maine Biomass Fuels of Belmont and Linkletter and Sons of Athens. Somerset Economic Development Corporation has been collaborating with George Rybarczyk, owner of Maine Biomass Fuels, since April 2006 to find a site for the facility, which will manufacture 100,000 tons per year of wood pellets for both industrial and residential use.

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[madokie]

1. That is good news

During the winter of '92 we were paying 145 bucks a ton for pellets, this last year we paid 185 bucks a ton, not bad. I try to promote the use of wood pellet fuel for heat at every turn I make.

We use roughly two tons per heating season.

Add: 16 years now of carbon neutral heat for this old okie, son just completed his 3rd and brother 14 years.