EME Biofuels, Global Partners advance strategic renewable fuel partnership for New England

EME Biofuels LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Castlerock Biofuels LLC, announced Aug. 18 the execution of a capacity-reservation agreement with Global Companies LLC, a subsidiary of Global Partners LP, establishing an exclusive framework for negotiating a long-term supply relationship for renewable fuel produced at EME’s planned Millinocket, Maine, facility.

Under the agreement, Global has reserved the right to purchase up to 100 percent of the facility’s expected annual production of renewable fuel, representing approximately 20 million gallons per year.

The parties will now move forward on an exclusive basis toward negotiating a definitive long-term supply agreement addressing commercial volumes, pricing, logistics and environmental attributes.

The agreement represents a significant commercial milestone for EME Biofuels as it advances development of its renewable fuel production facility at the site of the former Great Northern Paper Mill in Millinocket, Maine.

“Today’s announcement marks an important step forward for our project, our community and the future of renewable energy in New England,” said John Murphy, CEO of Castlerock Biofuels. “Global Partners is one of the most respected and established energy companies in the Northeast. Their decision to reserve access to our future production demonstrates growing confidence in both the market demand for renewable fuel and the strategic importance of what we are building in Millinocket.”

J.W. Hackett, Global Partners’ senior director of advocacy and public policy, added, “This agreement reflects Global Partners’ continued commitment to expanding access to lower-carbon energy solutions across New England. Renewable fuel produced from Maine’s working forests offers our customers a practical way to reduce emissions while relying on the same infrastructure they use today. We’re additionally proud to support a project that creates meaningful jobs in rural Maine and strengthens the region’s path toward a more sustainable energy future.”

EME Biofuels is developing a facility that will convert sustainably sourced forest residuals from Maine’s working forests into renewable liquid fuel capable of helping commercial, institutional and industrial customers reduce greenhouse-gas emissions while utilizing existing fuel infrastructure.

The project is expected to produce approximately 20 million gallons of renewable fuel annually and create significant economic benefits throughout Maine.

Construction is anticipated to support approximately 200 jobs, while facility operations are expected to create approximately 80 direct full-time positions and additional employment throughout the forestry, transportation and supply-chain sectors.

The partnership with Global brings together EME’s renewable fuel production platform and one of the Northeast’s most established energy-distribution networks.

Global’s extensive terminal, transportation and customer infrastructure provides a potential pathway for delivering renewable fuel to customers throughout New England and the broader Northeast region.

“This milestone addresses one of the most important questions facing any large-scale energy project—how the product reaches the market,” Murphy added. “By aligning with a recognized market leader like Global Partners, we are creating a pathway to deliver renewable fuel at scale while supporting regional energy security, industrial decarbonization and long-term demand for Maine’s forest-products economy.”

The renewable fuel produced in Millinocket is expected to serve a range of end users in the heating-fuel market, including commercial and institutional facilities, district-energy systems and industrial customers seeking practical solutions to reduce emissions without replacing existing energy infrastructure.

The project represents a new chapter for a site that helped power Maine’s economy for generations.

By transforming sustainably managed forest residuals into renewable energy, EME Biofuels said it aims to create long-term economic opportunity while helping customers meet increasingly ambitious energy and climate goals.