RCM Thermal Kinetics, a division of RCM Technologies, has announced the successful completion of the first project under its NEXT (New Ethanol eXpansion Technology) engineering program, which was launched in early 2025. This inaugural project marks a historic milestone: a Midwestern ethanol facility originally designed for 40 million gallons per year (MMGY) has now been scaled to 105 MMGY, the first time a standard 40 MMGY plant has surpassed the 100-million-gallon threshold while retaining its original distillation columns and without the addition of parallel columns.
The facility underwent a series of incremental expansions with Thermal Kinetics, first to 65 MMGY, then to 86 MMGY. That ceiling has long represented the practical limit for more than a hundred ethanol plants built to this standard design across North America. By applying NEXT, Thermal Kinetics has redefined that ceiling and demonstrated how advanced process optimization can extend the capabilities of legacy infrastructure.
“Our senior engineer, Roy Viteri, utilized precision engineering techniques drawn from his extensive petroleum industry background,” said Christopher J. Brown, Founder, Thermal Kinetics. “Instead of replacing major equipment, we applied surgical upgrades and advanced system design methods that unlocked hidden capacity in the plant’s existing footprint.”
The expansion to 105 MMGY establishes a new benchmark for the ethanol industry. It proves that existing plants can be transformed to deliver world-class performance through innovation and optimization—without the capital intensity of major equipment replacement.
“This project demonstrates what is possible when advanced process design meets real-world constraints,” added Viteri. “It opens the door for existing plants to dramatically increase output, reduce cost per gallon, and strengthen their competitive position in the renewable fuels market.”
Scott Yenzer, newly appointed General Manager, Industrial Markets shared: “As the first completed NEXT project, this installation validates the program’s potential. Thermal Kinetics currently has several NEXT projects underway, further evidence of the program’s rapid adoption and the company’s continued leadership in ethanol plant innovation.”