Major new business development announced for Mason City
Dow and New Energy Blue announced yesterday a long-term supply agreement in North America in which New Energy Blue will create bio-based ethylene from renewable agricultural residues. Dow expects to purchase this bio-based ethylene, reducing carbon emissions from plastic production, and using it in recyclable applications across transportation, footwear, and packaging. Under the terms of the agreement, Dow is supporting the design of New Energy Freedom, a new facility in Mason City, that is expected to process 275 kilotons of corn stover per year and produce commercial quantities of second-generation ethanol and clean lignin. Nearly half of the ethanol will be turned into bio-based ethylene feedstock for Dow products.
New Energy Blue is in a preliminary agreement on the purchase of 80 acres west of the Golden Grain Energy facility along 43rd Street Southwest in Mason City, though the final closing and the project are contingent upon state and local approvals. Anticipated groundbreaking is set for the spring of 2024. The project would attract hundreds of construction and trades jobs through the 2 year construction phase, and create 40 high paying jobs at the facility and an additional 40-60 for the collection of corn stover.
