User Rating:  / 0

The U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) has informed Montana State University- Northern that they will receive a grant of $647,748 from EDA to support the North Central Montana Renewable Industry Initiative, which will commercialize green technology and create new high-skill, living-wage jobs.

In order to receive this grant, MSU-Northern was required to complete a dollar-for-dollar match of the grant funds. MSU-Northern was able to leverage $400,000 they received from the state as the part of the required match funds for the grant. In addition, the Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development granted a $247,000 waiver of MSU-Northern's local share. Consequently the state's investment of $400,000 actually became a $1,067,000 investment in the future of North-Central Montana.

This grant will allow MSU-Northern's Bio-Energy Center to function like a proof of concept center for many new companies seeking to test their products. The grant will fund testing, salaries, consumables, and it will also allow MSU-Northern's Bio-Energy Center to purchase a scaled reactor which will help expand their research on bio-jet fuels.