Whitefox ICE® XL solution achieves 50% steam savings for Western Plains Energy

Western Plains Energy has upgraded its bioethanol production facility with a fully integrated Whitefox® membrane solution in a quest to become a net-zero emissions producer.
The solution enables Western Plains to achieve a 50% reduction in natural gas and steam; 25% increase in production capacity and a reduction in operational costs.
Together, this significantly advances Western Plains towards net-zero by reducing their carbon intensity score by more than a 10% reduction.
Derek Peine, CEO, Western Plains Energy, said: “The Whitefox ICE® XL system is a fully integrated solution within our distillation, dehydration and evaporation (DD&E) unit operations. It fully replaces the molecular sieves, with a proprietary membrane system, providing continuous processing and reduced energy and water consumption. It is designed to allow us to reduce our steam usage by up to 50%, which is a big step towards our net zero carbon goal.”
Gillian Harrison, Whitefox’s CEO, commented: “The project has embodied the true spirit of collaboration. Western Plains had the vision to be a Net Zero producer in 2019, and together with our engineers, have created ultra-low energy ethanol. This project has been an international endeavour to drive down emissions in renewable fuels and support advancements in rural communities with funding from the USDA and Innovate UK.
“I’m proud of what we have achieved and believe it’s a ground-breaking step towards renewable ethanol becoming an essential low-carbon building block for sustainable aviation fuel, green chemicals and beyond.
“This project is the first ICE XL project in the US, but Whitefox’s 18th project, with a further five in construction. As we continue to expand, this installation represents a milestone in sustainable innovation in ethanol production.
“Western Plains and Whitefox are proving that net-zero are not just words but a commercial and environmental reality."