SAFFiRE Renewables Fuel broke ground on a pilot plant that represents a firm step toward meeting the goals of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge. The SAFFiRE plant, located at Conestoga Energy’s Arkalon Energy facility in Liberal, Kansas, will ultimately be capable of processing 10 tons of corn stover daily, yielding cellulosic ethanol that can be upgraded into SAF with a carbon footprint at least 83% lower than conventional jet fuel. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) provided initial funding for the plant, which Southwest Airlines matched.
“This pilot plant shows that public–private investments can put steel in the ground for pioneering SAF facilities,” said BETO Director, Dr. Valerie Sarisky-Reed, who attended the event. “It has been a pleasure to see DOE funding translate into industry milestones that directly support the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious SAF Grand Challenge, which aims to produce 3 billion gallons per year of SAF by 2030 and to decarbonise the aviation sector.”
“Today’s groundbreaking event marks a significant milestone for SAFFiRE Renewables,” said Tom Nealon, CEO of SAFFiRE Renewables. “Our priority now is to complete the construction of our pilot plant, with a target of Q4 2025, and begin operations. We’re very fortunate to have great partners who are equally committed to the success of SAFFiRE, including Southwest Airlines, Conestoga Energy, LanzaJet, the National Renewable Energy Lab, and the Department of Energy. There is still a lot of work to do, but we are prepared and excited for the path ahead.”
A variety of project partners and supporting organisations attended the ribbon cutting, including government officials, representatives from BETO, Southwest Airlines, Conestoga Energy, and researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
With funding from BETO, NREL’s patent-pending biorefining technology is critical to the SAFFiRE pilot plant. Known as deacetylation and mechanical refining, the process uses a “gentle” alkaline bath and a mechanical shredder to prepare corn stover for ethanol fermentation—boosting yields and lowering costs. The subsequent cellulosic ethanol can be upgraded into SAF at LanzaJet’s alcohol-to-jet facility in Georgia—another first-of-its- kind facility supported by BETO and Southwest Airlines.
Plant construction will continue through 2025, with completion targeted for Q4 of that year. Construction and development of the plant is expected to have measurable benefits for the Kansas economy. A Southwest Airlines-commissioned report estimates construction and development will support 478 jobs and provide more than $83 million in economic impact—to support 13 direct jobs during operation.
Photos courtesy of SAFFiRE Renewables, Conestoga Energy, and Jordan Washer Photography
