What we Do
Skyrocketing SAF demand meets innovative solution
The U.S. aviation industry needs 3 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030,
12 billion gallons of SAF by 2035 and 35 billion gallons of SAF per year by the year 2050.
Enter SAFFiRE Renewables—pioneering sustainable aviation fuel from renewable ethanol in a manner that efficiently integrates with existing ethanol plants and infrastructure. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Renewable Ventures, SAFFiRE (short for Sustainable Aviation Fuel From Renewable Ethanol)—is focused on the large scale commercialization of cellulosic ethanol, which can then be converted to SAF utilizing the Alcohol-to-Jet pathway.
By transforming corn stover into ethanol, SAFFiRE's novel technology approach has the potential to fuel aviation's green transition and positions the U.S. agriculture and ethanol industries at the forefront of SAF growth. With potential to achieve carbon-negative status through enhancements and carbon capture, SAFFiRE's journey begins with designing and building a pilot plant hosted by Conestoga Energy , and is supported by industry leaders such as Southwest Airlines and LanzaJet, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Lab.
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What we do for...
Ethanol Producers
Ethanol Producers
SAFFiRE's process is designed to give ethanol producers a golden opportunity with SAFFiRE's innovative approach to transform corn stover into ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This process is intended not only to capitalize on underused agricultural by-products but also offer a pathway to carbon-negative fuel production through efficient, low-cost, and high-yield methods. As designed, SAFFiRE's technology has the potential to help position ethanol producers to lead in the rapidly growing SAF market, turning sustainability into profitability. There are potential significant capital and operating expense efficiencies to be gained by co-locating a SAFFiRE plant with an existing ethanol facility.
Farmers
Farmers
SAFFiRE’s approach has the potential to offer farmers a new revenue stream from their agricultural by-products and support sustainable farming practices by contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions. The collaboration with SAFFiRE has the potential to open new markets and uses for corn stover, enhancing farm profitability while promoting environmental sustainability. SAFFiRE’s stover collection is planned to be tailored to each field to ensure soil health as well as to ensure annual yields are not compromised. SAFFiRE technology has the potential to support farmers in being at the forefront of a transformative shift in both the agriculture and energy sectors.