MetGen integration with NewEnergyBlue to create full array of biochemicals refined from agricultural waste

In Pennsylvania, US firm NewEnergyBlue and Finnish company MetGen began integrating their renewable technologies and business units to compete with fossil-carbon products.

“NewEnergyBlue’s biomass conversion technologies, augmented by MetGen’s capabilities, can create a broader array of higher-value, lower-carbon biochemicals without wasting a molecule,” said Alex Michine, founder of MetGen. “We envision this partnership delivering specific end-to-end solutions from raw material to finished product that will attract a wellspring of capital investment to build out biomass refining projects around the world.”

NewEnergyBlue’s first U.S. biomass refinery is expected to begin operations in 2027 in Mason City, Iowa. By converting locally-sourced corn stalks left behind during the annual grain harvest, New Energy Freedom can produce 21 million gallons of second-generation biofuel and 150,00o tons of clean lignin.

“We know how to break down biomass into clean sugars and clean lignin—the foundation of all plants,” said Thomas Corle, Chairman and CEO of NewEnergyBlue. “MetGen has spent 18 years developing enzymes that can do it more economically. And lignin fraction technology that can be scaled up to expand high-value markets for us.”  

“While we scale up MetGen conversion technology at the Freedom refinery, the integration also brings new opportunities for Finland as a strategic hub,” said Matti Heikkila, who heads up MetGen operations. “We’re planning a commercial lignin-to-chemicals project next door to our Kaarina laboratories for early 2026.”

The lignin will come from Meliora Bio, a Danish refinery processing wheat straw using Inbicon bioconversion technology. 

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