With BETO Support, SAFFiRE Renewables Breaks Ground on Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Pilot Plant
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.