The Biomass Refinery from USA Applies Bio-Conversion Technology for Sustainable Clean Energy
New Energy Blue, a company operated a biomass refinery, announced the purchase of exclusive rights to Inbicon bio-conversion technology from Ørsted, one of the leading energy groups in Northern Europe headquartered in Denmark. To process agricultural residues including wheat straw, cornstalks, and sugar bagasse, and convert them into a high-octane advanced ethanol.
The company is planning to first use the technology in North Dakota. To turn wheat straw into a high-value, carbon-neutral automotive fuel which Ørsted has developed the technology over 15 years at a cost exceeding $200 million, proving efficacy and commercial operation at its refinery in Kalundborg for nearly five of those years.
New Energy Blue plans to build a series of biomass refineries, and intends to construct a series of biomass refineries across grain belts and sugar-growing regions to process agricultural residues including wheat straw, cornstalks, and sugar bagasse, and convert them into a high-octane advanced ethanol.
“Using Inbicon technology at the core of our refinery gives a clean process–no acid or high ammonia used–unlike other technologies at commercial scale,” Thomas Corle, CEO of New Energy Blue said, then he continuously said, “noting that the company’s refinery uses high-pressure steam followed by an enzyme bath to break down the biomass fibres into sugars and lignin, which can then be used for the production of biofuels.”
He adds “Instead of using fresh water, we enclosed-loop design recycles the water from the biomass. It is about 15% moisture which can produce a surplus of clean water for uses like irrigation.”
The next plan of the company is to feed fuel markets in states like California and countries who likewise battle carbon pollution with policies that incentivize low-carbon biofuels made from agricultural residues.
In the future, New Energy Blue expects to break ground on its refinery in Spiritwood, North Dakota in 2020. The refinery will be owned by the company and its equity holders, who include regional investors with interest it contributes to the local area economy.
