SAFFiRE Renewables breaks ground on SAF pilot plant in Kansas (U.S.)

SAFFiRE Renewables 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 initital funding for the plant, which Southwest Airlines matched.

A variety of project partners and supporting organizations 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.