** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** TRUCKS ARE USED AS THE MAIN MODE OF TRANSPORTING BIOMASS, AND BIOMASS FEEDSTOCK COME WITH LOW BULK AND ENERGY DENSITY COMPARED TO FOSSIL FUELS. THESE FACTORS RESULT IN HIGH DELIVERED COST OF BIOMASS, TRAFFIC CONGESTIONS AND SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CONCERNS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE DESIRE FOR SHORT DISTANCE TRUCK DELIVERY WITH FEWER CONGESTION ISSUES FAVORES SMALL-SCALE BIOBASED FACILITIES. THIS PROJECT INTRODUCES PIPELINE HYDRO-TRANSPORT OF BIOMASS (I.E., TRANSPORTING BIOMASS-WATER MIXTURES IN PIPES) AS AN ALTERNATIVE MODE OF DELIVERY WHICH CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE COST OF BIOMASS TRANSPORTATION (UP TO 60% BASED ON OUR PRILIMINARY STUDIES) ALSO MINIMIZES THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF OVERLAND TRANSPORTATION. HERE WE PROPOSE TO EXPERIMENTALLY STUDY TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF PIPELINE HYDRO-TRANSPORT OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST RESIDUE BIOMASS, INCLUDING THE EFFECT OF PIPELINE SPECIFICATIONS, ALSO BIOMASS AND MIXTURE PROPERTIES AND OPERATING CONDITIONS, ON MIXTURE FLOW BEHAVIOUR AND ECONOMY OF LONG-DISTANCE LARGE-SCALE BIOMASS PIPELINES. THE RESEARCH WILL BE CONDUCTED USING A LABORATORY-SCALE CLOSED-CIRCUIT PIPELINE FACILITY AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERISTY IN COLLABORATION WITH BIOFINE DEVELOPMENTS NORTHEAST INC. AND UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO. IN CONSULTATION WITH CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE OF MAINE AND SUPPORT OF THE MAINE PORT AUTHORITY, WE WILL STUDY CONSTRUCTION OF A10-MILE WOODCHIPS PIPELINE WITH 350,000 MT/YR CAPACITY FROM PERRY TO EASTWOOD IN MAINE. THIS APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED UNDER PRIORITY AREA NO. 5: AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY (PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY B: BIOREFINING AND BIOMANUFACTURING) WITH THE GOAL TO IMPROVE THE CAPACITY OF BIOFUEL AND BIOENERGY PRODUCTS AND REFINE THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS.