Empire Biofuels, LLC, was formed in 2003 for the purpose of building an ethanol plant in upstate New York. Eighteen growers and agribusiness men and women focused on creating a future in renewable energy and adding value to New York agriculture founded the company. Empire Biofuels, with its over 100 members today has partnered with Cilion to design a 60 million gallon ethanol plant. The ethanol plant will use approximately 20.5 million bushels of corn to produce the 60 million gallons of ethanol, 175,000 tons of distillers grains, and 130,000 tons of CO2.

Empire Green Biofuels plans to build the ethanol plant on the Seneca Army Depot in Romulus, NY. The group plans on buying 362 acres to accommodate the plant and the rail siding. After the plant is built Empire plans on acquiring 4500 more acres to collaborate with researchers and universities such as SUNY-ESF, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and Cornell University to develop energy crops on initially 500 acres of land surrounding the ethanol plant.

Upstate New York is uniquely situated to supply the Northeast with the ethanol needed to replace MTBE in gasoline and act as an octane enhancer. New York's dairy industry provides a market for the high quality distillers grains produced in the ethanol process. Distillers grains is a preferred source of high quality protein feed for poultry and cattle.