Biofine – Maine Phase I

The Biofine - Maine Phase I facility converts a lignin-rich waste by-product from Biofine’s renewable fuel production process into biochar for use as a soil amendment in the northeastern United States. The facility is located in Lincoln, Maine, and represents an important step in scaling integrated biorefinery systems that generate both low-carbon fuels and durable carbon storage products.

The project utilizes a continuous Verenovo slow-pyrolysis reactor operating at temperatures between 450 °C and 550 °C, with residence times of approximately 15 minutes. This process transforms a previously under-utilized lignocellulosic residue, otherwise destined for incineration, into a stable, carbon-rich material capable of sequestering biogenic carbon for hundreds of years.

Produced biochar will be characterized for key environmental and agronomic parameters, including C-content, H/Corg ratio, PAH and heavy-metal concentrations, to ensure compliance with international biochar quality standards. Biofine collaborates with the University of Maine’s Forest Bioproducts Research Institute to optimize soil application practices and assess long-term benefits to soil health.

Through this circular approach, the project diverts waste, reduces emissions, and delivers verified carbon removals while supporting regional sustainability and bioeconomy development in Maine.

Biofine actively supports SDG 13 (Climate Action) by developing low-carbon technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and enable a transition toward sustainable, climate-resilient industrial processes aligned with global decarbonization goals.