Using biomass as a heating source in Aroostook Country is not new. Families in northern Maine used wood to heat their homes long before the current heavy reliance on oil. According to Dan Vaillancourt, CEO of Daigle Oil, the average Aroostook Country consumer uses about 600 to 650 gallons of oil, which at current prices is $2,000 to $2,500 dollars of a family’s annual budget. Vaillancourt contends that the impact of high oil prices has been kept partially in check because of new, more efficient furnace and boiler technoogies and conservation efforts by consumers who have lowered their thermostats and increased home insulation to keep costs in check. Despite these efforts, oil prices remain uncertain and their impact on family budgets and continuing concern. In 2008, the annual average cost of a barrel of oil surged to $91.48, its highest level since the energy price spike of 1980.

But now the potential for biomass to help reduce The County’s dependence on high-priced foreign oil, while boosting the local economy, is a major emphasis of community and regional economic-development efforts.