On June 5, ICM Inc. announced that an Illinois-based ethanol plant has signed a letter of intent to implement its Fiber Separation Technology and Generation 1.5 Grain Fiber to Cellulosic Ethanol Technology (Gen 1.5), while a Colorado plant has signed on to install its Selective Milling Technology.

Annawan, Illinois-based Patriot Holdings LLC has signed a letter of intent for ICM’s patent-pending FST and Gen 1.5. According to ICM, the FST is a value-added platform technology that increases ethanol yield and throughput. It also increases oil recovery. The technology separates fiber, which will be used to produce cellulosic ethanol via the Gen 1.5 technology. The new systems will build on the SMT system, which Patriot purchased in October 2013.

 “ICM is pleased to see Patriot take advantage of the benefits that FST provides,” said Chris Mitchell, president of ICM. “We appreciate Patriot’s continuing business as it continues to build on ICM’s base ethanol plant and our Selective Milling Technology. Patriot will be setting itself up to lead our industry into cellulosic ethanol, which not only diversifies its plant, but improves ethanol yield to over 3.08 gallons per bushel. Our team is excited to continue working with Patriot as it grows its business.”

In Winsor, Colorado, Front Range Energy LLC has become the seventeenth North American ethanol plant to either operate or be under contract to operate ICM’s patent-pending SMT. The purchase was announced June 5.

“We are excited to own and operate this new technology from ICM,” said Dan Sanders, vice president for Front Range Energy. “Our team did an excellent job evaluating options available in this space and we believe ICM’s SMT gives us the greatest potential for overall yield improvements, and the most control to make operational changes on the front end of our plant to enable lower cost per gallon