Clean hydrogen developer and derivative fuels solutions Avina Clean Hydrogen announced plans to setup an alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant in the Midwest region.
The plant will commence operations in 2027.
The facility will have the nameplate capacity to produce 120m gallons of SAF per annum using the AtJ production technology pathway. The jet fuel produced will be certified to meet ASTM D7566 standards.
The company said that preliminary Front End Engineering Design (Pre-FEED) for the project is complete and FEED is expected to kick off in Q2 2024. Funding commitments for the project through FID have been secured, and Avina is currently engaged in advanced discussions with various strategic and financial investors to fund the project at FID.
The company further said that it has entered into long-term supply agreements with leading ethanol suppliers for a significant portion of the low carbon intensity (CI) ethanol feedstock volume requirement.
The project will leverage existing rail and pipeline infrastructure to ensure optimal delivery of end product into the Chicago O’Hare and other regional airports.
“The strategic location, scale, and cost-effectiveness offer a significant advantage for our SAF project,” says Vishal Shah, CEO & founder, Avina Clean Hydrogen.
“Aviation sector accounts for 2% of global CO2 emissions. In recent years, emissions from this sector have been increasing at a faster rate compared to those from rail, road, or shipping. SAF are critical to decarbonising the aviation sector and the Ethanol-to-Jet production pathway is the most immediate, cost-effective, and scalable option for aviation decarbonisation.”
