LIBERAL, KAN.—Development Power Members Conestoga Power and SAFFiRE Renewables broke floor yesterday on a brand new facility that may ultimately produce cellulosic bioethanol from corn stover—then convert that bioethanol into sustainable aviation gasoline (SAF). Development Power CEO Emily Skor attended the occasion, together with Kansas Senators Jerry Moran (R) and Roger Marshall (R), Kansas Rep. Tracey Mann (R), Federal Aviation Administrator (FAA) Deputy Regional Administrator Debra Sanning, and U.S. Division of Power Bioenergy Applied sciences Workplace Director Valerie Sarisky-Reed.
In his opening remarks earlier than the groundbreaking, Conestoga CEO (and present Development Power Chairman) Tom Willis referred to as on attendees to “keep in mind right this moment.”
“This can be a day the place western Kansas goes from producing pure fuel power, to the beginning of manufacturing sustainable aviation gasoline with our accomplice SAFFiRE,” he stated. “That is transformational for western Kansas. That is transformational for the airline business. That is transformational for agriculture and the worth that it brings. It began right here.”
Skor echoed Willis in her remarks, saying that the Conestoga and SAFFiRE plant “has the potential to be an enormous step for Kansas—and an enormous leap for all the biofuels business.” She additionally referred to as on policymakers to assist help the undertaking via the 45Z clear gasoline manufacturing tax credit score, for which steering from the U.S. Treasury remains to be pending.
“SAF is a multi-billion-dollar alternative,” she added. “Attending to that future will take all of us. It’s going to take innovators like Conestoga and SAFFiRE. It’s going to take policymakers like our champions right here right this moment, creating the appropriate circumstances and sending the appropriate market alerts. Which means a 45Z clear gasoline manufacturing credit score that enables rural America to prosper on the velocity of innovation, not the snail’s tempo of paperwork.”
Development Power congratulates each of our members—Conestoga and SAFFiRE—for this thrilling and doubtlessly game-changing improvement for the way forward for cellulosic biofuel and SAF. You’ll be able to learn extra concerning the plant on Southwest Airways’ web site (SAFFiRE Renewables is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwest).
