NewEnergyBlue, a US-based clean-technology company specialising in biomass refineries, has announced the acquisition of Inbicon, a Danish biomass-conversion technology. The deal, which includes Inbicon’s international patent portfolio and global licensing rights, marks a significant expansion for NewEnergyBlue, enabling the company to broaden its reach beyond the Americas to markets worldwide.
The Inbicon technology, originally developed by Ørsted, one of Denmark’s leading renewable energy companies, has been at the forefront of converting agricultural waste into biofuels and biochemicals. NewEnergyBlue plans to leverage this innovative technology to produce highly decarbonised biofuels and chemicals from a variety of feedstocks, including corn stalks, wheat straw, and sugar bagasse.
Albury Fleitas, President of NewEnergyBlue, highlighted the growing potential of the technology: “From corn stalks in America to wheat straw in Europe and Canada, billions of tons of agricultural waste are produced globally each year. These are ideal feedstocks for our biomass refineries, offering the opportunity to replace fossil fuels with renewable alternatives.”
Fleitas also noted the potential to use perennial grasses in arid regions where traditional food crops struggle to grow, further expanding the reach of NewEnergyBlue’s operations.
The Inbicon bioconversion process uses advanced thermodynamic adjustments and precise chemical controls without the need for caustic additives, ensuring an environmentally friendly approach. One of the by-products of the process is clean water, aligning with international sustainability standards. Inbicon technology was first developed in Denmark over 25 years ago and has undergone several scale-ups, proving its commercial viability. Its first biomass refinery was established in 2009 in Kalundborg, Denmark, where it processed wheat straw into second-generation ethanol.
NewEnergyBlue’s acquisition comes as the company prepares to launch its own biomass refinery, the New Energy Freedom plant, in Mason City, Iowa, in 2026. This facility will focus on converting corn stalks into bioethanol and clean lignin. The bioethanol produced will be used in low-carbon fuel markets, while the clean lignin will serve as a sustainable alternative to traditional oil-based products used in manufacturing and road surfacing.
Fleitas described the acquisition as a crucial step in the company’s mission to move away from fossil fuels: “We’re working to take the fossil out of fuels, the oil out of plastics, and the heat out of the atmosphere. Our partnership with international companies will accelerate our efforts to scale up these solutions.”
In addition to the refinery, NewEnergyBlue plans to establish a biomass technology campus at the site, fostering collaboration with international companies and scientists interested in scaling up their own technologies. The facility’s commercial sugar and lignin streams have already attracted interest from major players in the biofuel and biochemical industries.
The move marks a significant milestone in the global effort to decarbonise the energy and manufacturing sectors, with biofuels and biochemicals playing a crucial role in reducing reliance on fossil fuels and addressing climate change. NewEnergyBlue’s use of Inbicon technology is set to play a central role in this transition.
