Former paper mill site in Millinocket is becoming hub for renewable energy production
COURTESY / DESIGNLAB
The One North industrial site in Millinocket is becoming a renewable energy hub.
The One North industrial site in Millinocket is becoming a renewable energy hub that includes hydropower producer Brookfield Renewable, a testing site for Ocean Renewable Power Co.’s hydro-electric system, a Greenbacker Renewable Energy Co. solar farm and a development of a combined heat and power facility in partnership with Peregrine Turbine Technologies.
Enter a Houston firm that has its eye on One North in Millinocket to build a renewable heating production facility that uses logging residue from local forestry operations.
Castlerock Biofuels LLC, operating locally through its subsidiary EME Biofuels LLC, this week announced the selection of Millinocket as the proposed site for a sustainable biocrude production facility, leveraging an advanced thermal processing technology developed by Ensyn Corp. and its affiliated companies.
Ensyn said its advanced thermal processing technology is called “RTP,” which stands for “rapid thermal processing.” The technology produces biocrude from forest and agricultural residues using Ensyn’s proprietary thermal technology.
The plant, to be built on a greenfield site within One North, the former Great Northern paper mill location, would be built to produce up to 20 million gallons of “fast pyrolysis bio-oil” annually, according to a news release.
The facility would be a larger version of Castlerock’s advanced thermal processing plant in Quebec, where fuel oil production has been effectively established at scale since 2018, said Sean Dewitt, president of Our Katahdin, the Millinocket-based nonprofit that owns and operates the One North industrial site.
“They bring premier engineering, top-tier financial backing and a proven product with strong market demand,” said Dewitt. “By locating on our former paper mill site, Castlerock is generating tax revenue and creating jobs onsite and in the woods while honoring our rich forest products legacy and pioneering the next generation of sustainable forest products.”
The renewable heating product would be branded “RFO,” short for “renewable fuel oil,” and would be available to large institutional heating customers in the Northeast.
Project permits are in process, with the remaining financing expected to close in 2025. The facility is expected to be operational by 2027.
John Murphy, CEO of Castlerock, said the facility would create jobs and support sustainable forest management.
“We look forward to working closely with the town of Millinocket, Our Katahdin and local stakeholders to make this vision a reality,” Murphy said.
Site selection
Castlerock said it chose Millinocket based on its access to renewable hydroelectric power from Brookfield Renewable, which has hydropower facilities in the Katahdin region, including One North.
The company also cited “strong local site management by Our Katahdin,” the town of Millinocket’s commitment to partner in building the roads, water, sewer and power infrastructure necessary to support the facility and future development and proximity to feedstock providers and the option for rail access to facilitate efficient distribution of the finished product.
Economic impact
According to Castlerock, the project could bring economic benefits to the region that include:
- Up to 150 construction jobs at peak development.
- Approximately 80 full-time jobs, skill training and internships with local partners and stakeholders.
- 92 jobs in the forest industry supply chain, supporting the harvest and transport of feedstock and the transport of finished fuel.
- Increased tax revenues and indirect economic growth, as supporting industries develop around the facility.
The proposed production of 20 million gallons of renewable heating product per year would go toward sustainable heating oil replacement for institutions, such as universities, hospitals and district heating companies, the company said.
The product’s greenhouse gas emissions rate would be up to 96% lower than petroleum-based heating oil or natural gas, the company said.
The process utilizes a renewable byproduct that would otherwise decompose in the forest.
Ensyn Corp. has implemented its advanced thermal processing technology for over 30 years, said Robert Pirraglia, Ensyn’s CEO.
Financing will be provided through debt and equity funding expected to close this year.
On-site construction is expected to start approximately six months after the funding closes. The plant is expected to be in full operation in 2027.
Castlerock has plans to develop a network of advanced thermal processing facilities across the U.S., and is exploring opportunities in Minnesota, Washington, Georgia and Mississippi. A joint venture between Castlerock Green Energy LLC, Ensyn and Khasma Capital LLC, Castlerock Biofuels has certain exclusive rights to develop production facilities in the U.S. applying Ensyn’s advanced thermal processing technology.
Ensyn specializes in fast thermal conversion of cellulosic biomass to liquid fuels and chemicals and has over 30 years of commercial operating history, focused on food ingredients, natural chemicals and heating fuels. Together with development partners, Ensyn is now building out production capacity for a broader commercialization of heating fuels and for other energy products.
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