Maine has ignored this homegrown substitute for heating oil

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 15, 2026

Maine has largely neglected a heating fuel made from forestry waste that could help the state fulfill its ambitious goals to replace its nation-leading reliance on oil, instead focusing almost exclusively on electrification. Two startup companies in Maine said the new biofuels they plan to produce in about two years will heat homes and businesses with less carbon output at about the same price as conventional oil. Biofuels also represent a new market for tree tops, bark and other forestry refuse that paper mills once bought but now lie useless on the ground, releasing carbon dioxide as it decomposes and posing a fire risk.