Provectus Biofuels signs LOI with Alberta town to develop SAF project

Provectus Biofuels Inc. announced July 30 that the company has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with the town of Vegreville in Alberta, Canada, to develop a biofuel facility that will convert the abundant wheat-straw feedstock available in the area into renewable jet fuel, also known as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Vegreville is located about 60 miles east of Edmonton and is adjacent to two of Western Canada’s major transportation corridors (highways 16 and 36).

Through this collaboration, Provectus aims to repurpose wheat straw into high-value low-carbon jet fuel providing:

• A new revenue stream for farmers—turning an underutilized nonfood agricultural byproduct into a profitable commodity that is already in high demand by the aviation industry.

• An alternative to burning or plowing under wheat straw that reduces air pollution and carbon emissions.

• Production of biochar, increasing crop yield, preserving irrigation water and increasing CO2 fixing.

• Alignment with federal and provincial clean-energy transition and sustainability goals.

“We are excited to partner with the town of Vegreville to advance a sustainable solution that benefits farmers, strengthens local economies and supports a greener future for air travel,” said Jon Jaque, CEO of Provectus. “This initiative not only aligns with provincial and federal climate and energy objectives, it also fills a growing and unmet need among North American airlines that are actively pursuing initiatives to decarbonize. Utilizing wheat straw as an input to produce renewable jet fuel offers a compelling opportunity to translate this nonfood byproduct into an economic benefit for rural communities while playing a vital role in decarbonizing air travel.”

The town of Vegreville has recently achieved a “Biofuel Development Opportunity Zone” rating that recognizes the community for its strategic potential in biobased industries.

This milestone highlights the region’s vast availability of excess wheat straw, a byproduct generated by the farmers of Vegreville and surrounding areas.

While some wheat straw is essential for soil renewal and nitrogen fixation, a significant excess is mulched and plowed back with diminishing returns while also releasing unnecessary emissions.

The proposed facility and circular economy will instead create preferable biochar, a permanent soil amendment that will increase crop production and water retention for farmers.

The planned facility will license and utilize commercially proven technology, which efficiently converts agricultural residues into renewable jet fuel, supporting airline sustainability initiatives, government carbon-reduction commitments and Canada’s leadership in clean-energy innovation.

“Provectus’ establishment of the DobroJet Biofuels facility would be a significant milestone not just for the Vegreville region but for Canada as a whole,” said Tim MacPhee, the mayor of Vegreville. “This project presents a unique opportunity to support regional farmers by creating a new revenue stream through the sale of wheat straw while also driving economic development through investment attraction and job creation. More importantly, it provides a made-in-Alberta solution to reducing carbon emissions by producing low-carbon aviation fuel—an essential component of our country’s clean-energy strategy and carbon-reduction commitments.”