Western New York Energy boosts corn oil yields by 80% with ICM’s FOT Oil Recovery installation

How is Western New York Energy increasing corn oil yield by 80% while cutting energy costs with new ICM technology?

Western New York Energy, LLC, a renewable energy producer headquartered in Medina, New York, has reported a dramatic 80% surge in corn oil yield after integrating ICM Inc.’s FOT Oil Recovery™ System into its ethanol production line. The system installation, completed in June 2025, marks the eighth successful commercial deployment of ICM’s proprietary mechanical oil separation technology across the U.S. ethanol sector.

According to data shared after operational startup, Western New York Energy (WNYE) achieved an increase in corn oil extraction rates from 0.67 to as high as 1.20 pounds per bushel. This improvement is especially significant given the lower-than-average fat content of corn typically sourced in the Northeastern United States. The deployment also brought measurable operational efficiencies, including a 4% reduction in natural gas consumption and enhanced fermentation yield—factors that are expected to improve overall plant profitability and margin resilience in an increasingly competitive biofuels market.

ICM, Inc., the Kansas-based developer behind the FOT Oil Recovery™ System, has positioned the technology as a chemical-free, mechanically driven platform for ethanol producers looking to boost coproduct revenue without altering core plant configurations.

Why is ICM’s FOT Oil Recovery™ System considered a game-changer for corn ethanol producers in low-fat corn regions?

Historically, corn oil extraction yields have varied significantly depending on the quality of the feedstock, particularly its oil content. Facilities operating in regions like the Midwest benefit from higher-fat corn varieties, while plants in the Northeast, such as WNYE, face yield constraints due to regional agricultural differences.

By enabling a jump from 0.67 to 1.20 pounds per bushel, ICM’s FOT Oil Recovery™ technology effectively bridges this gap. The system’s mechanical separation method allows for more efficient oil recovery without the need for demulsifiers or chemicals, ensuring product purity and reducing long-term costs.

Timothy Winters, President and CEO of Western New York Energy, emphasized the seamlessness of the system’s integration into existing operations, noting that ICM’s engineering team tailored the setup to match plant-specific architecture. This adaptability has positioned the technology as a modular plug-in for ethanol producers looking to unlock new revenue streams through improved oil recovery.

Industry operators have traditionally relied on chemical-based oil extraction techniques, which carry higher operating costs and regulatory complexity. ICM’s mechanical approach eliminates those trade-offs, opening the door to wider adoption among sustainability-focused producers.

What operational and financial improvements did Western New York Energy report after adopting the FOT Oil Recovery™ System?

Western New York Energy’s post-installation performance metrics reflect broad operational gains. In addition to the 80% increase in corn oil output, the plant also reported a 4% decrease in natural gas usage—a meaningful saving in an energy-intensive industry facing fluctuating fuel prices.

The system also delivered a quality uptick in distillers grains, a valuable co-product sold into the animal feed market. Higher-quality distillers grains can command premium pricing, further enhancing the facility’s earnings potential per bushel of corn processed.

The enhanced fermentation yield reported post-installation suggests improvements in the overall efficiency of starch-to-ethanol conversion, which can directly boost gross margins at scale. These compounded gains—energy savings, coproduct upgrades, and yield improvements—are particularly compelling for regional producers navigating narrow margins and evolving clean fuel mandates.

Isahia Schoolcraft, Vice President of Operations at WNYE, described the project as “the quickest and most successful” in his 18-year career, highlighting the immediate performance uplift seen just one day post-startup. Such anecdotal feedback underscores the strong execution alignment between ICM and WNYE, a factor analysts often point to when evaluating technological scale-up feasibility.

How are analysts interpreting the broader market potential of ICM’s ethanol plant retrofit technologies?

Institutional analysts observing the renewable fuels sector have identified modular retrofits and coproduct yield improvements as central themes in the next growth phase of U.S. ethanol infrastructure. With biofuel tax incentives shifting toward low-carbon intensity scoring and energy optimization, technologies like the FOT Oil Recovery™ System are being viewed as strategic enhancements rather than auxiliary upgrades.

Industry experts suggest that operators able to increase per-bushel profitability while reducing Scope 1 emissions and energy intensity will be better positioned to secure offtake agreements, attract ESG-aligned capital, and benefit from carbon credit mechanisms.

ICM’s track record—over 110 global facilities served, with 8.8 billion gallons of annual ethanol production supported through its proprietary technologies—has created confidence among plant owners seeking de-risked modernization pathways. The company’s experience with tailoring plant-specific solutions further reinforces its value proposition in a segment where operational variability is often the biggest hurdle to scale.

Given the positive field results from Western New York Energy, analysts expect more facilities in lower-yield regions to follow suit, especially as policy momentum grows around renewable fuels compliance, LCFS (Low Carbon Fuel Standard) scoring, and energy input/output ratios.

What role does Western New York Energy play in the Northeastern U.S. renewable fuel infrastructure?

Founded in 2004 and commencing operations in 2007, Western New York Energy, LLC, holds the distinction of being the first biofuel facility in the Northeastern United States and remains the only large-scale ethanol producer in New York State. With an annual production capacity exceeding 60 million gallons, WNYE plays a critical role in advancing the state’s clean energy goals and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.

The company’s $90 million ethanol plant was developed with a focus on tapping into regional renewable resource potential, offering local farmers a consistent market for corn and providing local refiners with renewable fuel blending options.

As New York continues to expand its climate commitments under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), localized renewable energy production will be vital in meeting greenhouse gas reduction targets. WNYE’s recent technological upgrade not only boosts its operational efficiency but also aligns with broader state and federal objectives on clean energy transition.

With the new system now fully operational, Western New York Energy is positioned to serve as a demonstration site for other Northeast facilities considering similar capital upgrades, potentially catalyzing a wider transformation in regional ethanol economics.

What are the strategic implications of ICM’s growing presence in the U.S. and international biofuel sectors?

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Colwich, Kansas, ICM, Inc. has steadily expanded its footprint as a provider of advanced biorefining technologies. In addition to its U.S. base, ICM maintains a regional office in Brazil—a major ethanol-producing nation—and has developed proprietary processing systems that power over 110 facilities globally.

Its FOT Oil Recovery™ System is one of several offerings designed to improve coproduct recovery, reduce operating costs, and support decarbonization in agriculture-linked energy production. The system’s recent success at WNYE adds to a growing portfolio of data-backed deployments, giving the company leverage in future commercial negotiations.

ICM’s ability to offer solutions that require no chemicals, operate with minimal operator intervention, and improve performance within existing infrastructure makes it especially appealing to asset-heavy operators seeking fast payback periods.

As more plants adopt next-generation extraction and fermentation tools, ICM’s position as a retrofit and performance optimization leader is likely to be reinforced. Analysts expect the firm to deepen its relationships with ethanol producers, feed grain processors, and emerging biofuel integrators over the next several quarters.

What are the next steps for Western New York Energy after its corn oil recovery upgrade?

Institutional observers believe Western New York Energy’s successful implementation of the FOT Oil Recovery™ System could act as a springboard for additional process upgrades. Given the company’s strategic location and importance in New York’s renewable ecosystem, further investment in carbon intensity reduction, heat recovery, or anaerobic digestion could be on the horizon.

Analysts anticipate that WNYE may also explore participation in voluntary carbon markets or renewable identification number (RIN) trading to further monetize the environmental performance gains achieved through such capital improvements.

With an already strong partnership in place with ICM, additional performance optimization projects could materialize over the next fiscal year, especially as biofuel economics remain favorable amid sustained demand from low-carbon fuel standard programs and inflation-adjusted energy credits under U.S. legislation.

For ethanol producers in similar geographic and agricultural contexts, WNYE’s experience offers a valuable proof point that advanced oil recovery is both technically feasible and economically rewarding—fueling what may soon become a wider wave of tech adoption across the sector.