Fluid Quip expands LED™ deployment at United Ethanol, delivering lower energy use, reduced carbon intensity, and improved ethanol plant efficiency.
Fluid Quip Technologies continues to strengthen its role in driving efficiency and sustainability across the global biofuels sector with the expanded commercial deployment of its patented Low Energy Distillation™ (LED™) technology at United Ethanol’s facility in Milton, Wisconsin. This latest installation underscores the growing industry momentum toward advanced process technologies that significantly reduce energy consumption while improving operational reliability and environmental performance.
Fluid Quip Technologies has positioned the LED™ system as a next-generation distillation solution specifically engineered to address some of the most persistent challenges in conventional ethanol production. Traditional distillation processes rely heavily on direct-inject steam, repeated phase changes, and high water usage, all of which contribute to elevated operating costs and higher carbon intensity. The LED™ platform fundamentally rethinks this approach by eliminating direct-inject steam and replacing it with advanced heat integration strategies that maximize thermal efficiency across the plant.
By redesigning the distillation architecture, the LED™ system significantly reduces overall steam demand, lowers water consumption, and supports continuous, stable plant operations. These improvements translate directly into lower energy bills, improved uptime, and measurable reductions in carbon intensity (CI) scores—an increasingly important metric for ethanol producers navigating stricter environmental regulations and evolving fuel standards.
A critical differentiator of the LED™ platform is the collaborative innovation behind its development. The technology is the result of a multi-year partnership between Fluid Quip Technologies and RCM Thermal Kinetics. This collaboration combines Fluid Quip’s expertise in large-scale system integration with RCM’s advanced intellectual property in Distillation, Dehydration, and Evaporation (DDE) process design. Together, the two companies have developed a tightly integrated heat recovery architecture that allows ethanol plants to achieve substantial energy reductions without sacrificing throughput or reliability.
According to Neal Jakel, each new LED™ installation further validates the technology’s commercial readiness and long-term value proposition. He emphasized that ethanol producers adopting the system are seeing tangible benefits, including meaningful energy savings, enhanced operational uptime, and clear reductions in carbon emissions, all while maintaining consistent production volumes. Jakel noted that the LED™ system demonstrates how sustainability and profitability can advance together when innovative engineering is applied at scale.
From the producer’s perspective, the deployment at United Ethanol represents a strategic investment aligned with long-term efficiency and sustainability objectives. United Ethanol operates under United Cooperative, which has made energy optimization a key operational priority. Dan Wych highlighted that reducing energy demand is central to improving both economic performance and environmental outcomes. He stated that Fluid Quip’s LED™ technology closely aligns with United Ethanol’s goals for higher efficiency, improved reliability, and lower carbon intensity.
This installation marks the fourth commercial deployment of the LED™ system, reinforcing Fluid Quip Technologies’ position as a leading provider of energy-reduction solutions for the ethanol industry. Importantly, it also demonstrates the technology’s ability to integrate seamlessly into existing plant infrastructure, minimizing disruption while delivering immediate performance improvements. As ethanol producers continue to seek competitive advantages in a carbon-conscious market, solutions like LED™ are increasingly seen as critical enablers of the industry’s next phase of evolution.
