[et_pb_section fb_built="1" admin_label="section" _builder_version="4.16" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" _builder_version="4.16" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" custom_padding="|||" global_colors_info="{}" custom_padding__hover="|||" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" _builder_version="4.16" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"]LanzaJet has received a $30 million investment from Southwest Airlines for the development of a sustainable aviation fuel production facility and to collaborate with SAFFiRE Renewables on its clean ethanol technology.
Through the investment, Southwest will be the primary sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) off-taker of LanzaJet's fuels, once the facility is operational, according to the companies. The new biorefinery will implement the LanzaJet’s alcohol-to-jet technology, which is said to maintain a supply volume necessary to scale the SAF industry.
Depending on the source of ethanol used to create LanzaJet’s SAF, it can achieve carbon-negative aviation and cut down on contrail formation, sulfur emissions, and particulate matter by up to 95%, according to the company.
Through the added collaboration with SAFFiRE, LanzaJet will help commercialize the company’s technology, which may convert corn feedstocks typically leftover to decompose after corn harvests into low-carbon ethanol. LanzaJet’s new facility will eventually be used to convert this ethanol into SAF.
“The alignment of Southwest and LanzaJet is a powerful combination that has the potential to integrate the SAF value chain and to double-down on the US ethanol, aviation, and biofuel industries,” said Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet. “Our work together will lead us closer to meeting aviation’s decarbonization goals by continuing to scale SAF production in the United States, while also tapping into the U.S. ethanol industry’s potential to catalyze the next generation of SAF production.”
In addition to the Southwest investment, LanzaJet recently opened its first commercial-scale ethanol-to-SAF plant in Georgia, reportedly the first of its kind in the world.
The LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels facility is anticipated to generate renewable diesel and sustainable ethanol verified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification. The company aims to scale to 1 billion gallons of SAF production by 2030, and the new facility, in addition to the one now made possible by Southwest, marks major steps towards meeting this goal. The company’s SAF is currently approved to be blended at 50% with conventional jet fuel, and work is reportedly underway for approval of 100% SAF use, able to replace jet fuel altogether.
The new investment also follows Southwest’s purchase of 680 million gallons of SAF from USA BioEnergy through an offtake agreement made at the end of last year.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
