<< Back to News
ARTICLE
People Build Ethanol Plants
On October 11, 2024, the commissioning of the Whitefox ICE® XL was successfully completed, marking a significant milestone for the US biofuels sector. Companies from across the ethanol industry gathered at Western Plains Energy in Oakley, Kansas to finalize the culmination of months of dedicated work to see the project through completion.
Looking back, it’s humbling to acknowledge the collaboration it took to get to where we are today. It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of the people who made it happen and demonstrates that when companies share a similar mission, it creates an environment where innovation thrives. Such is the case for Western Plains and Whitefox, who share a vision of getting to Net Zero carbon intensity (CI) in ethanol production.
For Whitefox, this project represents the culmination and natural progression in the use of membranes in chemical processing. When Whitefox entered the US market, the ultimate goal was to realize a full membrane dehydration system. Through several conversations with Western Plains, it became clear that they were the ideal candidate for this partnership. Under the leadership of CEO Derek Peine, they’ve strategically pursued innovative technologies to decarbonize the facility’s operations. With the ICE XL installation complete, they have further cemented their spot as a leader within the industry, producing ethanol with a CI score below 50. In addition to energy reduction, the ability to conserve water through the design of the system strengthens Western Plains’ position as a pioneer in sustainable ethanol production.
To provide these benefits, the Whitefox ICE XL is a fully integrated solution within an ethanol plant’s Dehydration, Distillation, and Evaporation (DD&E) unit and replaces the facility’s existing dehydration infrastructure, providing a more energy-efficient and streamlined process for producing ethanol.
Its continuous process eliminates pressure swings and is designed to cut natural gas and steam consumption by 50% in DD&E. This allows for reduced operational costs and a reduction in the plant’s CI score. Furthermore, it can provide a production capacity increase by up to 50% and flexibility in meeting different specs of water content.
.“This project is providing the highest levels of energy savings and production rates a Whitefox project has seen, dehydrating around 51 million gallons of ethanol using our membranes and reducing energy consumption by more than 7,000 BTU per gallon” explains Virginia Andrade, Whitefox Head of Engineering.
The Teams Behind the Project
After entering the project, the teams worked together to identify the best partners to help bring the installation to fruition. SBI General and Mechanical spearheaded the construction of the ICE XL installation. Their knowledgeable and highly skilled team enabled Whitefox to bring their vision to life.
“Working with SBI has been fantastic. The communication between the different teams involved was great. We felt that they took the time to fully understand what’s going on so they could make the best recommendations,” said Yelizar Rozenberg, Whitefox Head of Project Execution and Customer Support.
In addition to SBI, several other contractors and providers worked on the project including Decker Electric, Underground Utilities, Peterson Construction, Eberle Construction, Seaton Construction, McGill, Direct Automation, 5R Contractors, Olsson Engineering, and National Fire & Safety.
“We all worked together, we were open and honest about what we expected from each member of the team. Then, each member of the team delivered,” said Austen Stewart, CEO of SBI.
The collective effort created an environment where everyone could contribute through their respective roles to develop creative solutions, which played a key role in overcoming obstacles. By leveraging diverse skill sets and maintaining open communication among all parties, trust was built.
“The openness and transparency of each member of the team was unusually beneficial. Each group had faith in one another’s abilities, and this allowed the construction to move forward smoothly,” said Stewart.
“The willingness to share knowledge and utilize the expertise of the individual groups was extremely impactful to the success of the project. These interactions fostered a culture of trust and accountability, ensuring that everyone was aligned with the project’s goals,” said Rick Holaday, WPE Plant Manager.
This installation, the first of its kind in the United States, sets a new benchmark for the ethanol industry. Due to the novel nature of the project, the Whitefox team spent several months at the plant over the summer, building relationships with the operators to train and prepare them for the implementation of the new system and ensure they were comfortable to be taking over the running of the system post start-up.
“There were several key moments throughout the project that stood out to me. However, the one that stands out the most to me was when Whitefox brought a small team to site to train our operations staff,” noted Derek Peine, CEO of Western Plains. “They showed a true ability to share the technical aspects of the technology in a way that everyone could absorb, and I could see then the confidence and excitement with our staff starting to build.”
The Big Day
After many months of engineering design, equipment procurement, and construction, commissioning took two weeks to fully complete. By the end, the system was successfully integrated within the facility’s existing infrastructure. Everyone worked tirelessly to adapt to new workflows and optimize processes, ensuring a smooth transition to the new system.
Peine said, “The strength of the relationships really showed through during startup process where team members from different teams were seamlessly working together and helping out wherever needed.”
At Whitefox, our mission for the past 25 years has been to advance sustainable, efficient practices that benefit both our partners and the planet. Collaborating with forward-thinking organizations like Western Plains enables us to drive innovation while supporting the operational goals of ethanol producers.
Furthermore, partnerships like the ones built through this project act as a reminder that behind company names are people who make this work happen.
“The collaboration with Whitefox, SBI, Decker Electric and others onsite was as strong as I have experienced in my career,” according to Peine. “Anytime an issue presented itself, everyone approached it with the common goal of working together to ensure success of the project. It was rewarding to see the mutual trust and respect for each other continually grow throughout the project.”
This project is a powerful example of what can be achieved when people work together toward a shared vision.
