SAFFiRE Renewables biofuel pilot plant breaks ground in Kansas 

Hopes are to scale up sustainable aviation fuel, boost the local economy

SAFFiRE Renewables, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines, broke ground on a new pilot plant at Conestoga’s Arkalon Energy ethanol facility near Liberal, Kansas, Aug. 28. The new facility will be focused on converting corn stover into ethanol with SAFFiRE’s new technology. The large-scale commercialization of cellulosic ethanol can then be converted into sustainable aviation fuel with the alcohol-to-jet pathway.

SAFFiRE Renewables has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, and Conestoga Energy to open a facility designed to turn agriculture residue into a scalable biofuel business. By investing in these technologies, the new facility is expected to create good-paying jobs and enhance education and training opportunities to build the bioenergy workforce providing the local economy with 500 new jobs and $92 million in total economic activity.

Watch for more information in upcoming issues of High Plains Journal or at www.hpj.com.