SAF facility scaled at 135 mgy planned for Cherryvale, Kansas
Azure 2023 Inc., a subsidiary of Calgary, Alberta, Canada-based Azure Sustainable Fuels Corp., announced Dec. 20 its planned development of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in Cherryvale, Kansas.
Since June, Azure has been progressing a front-end engineering design (FEED) study, which is on track for completion in 2024.
The company said related permitting requirements are also targeted for completion by the end of 2024.
Azure is targeting a final investment decision (FID) by early 2025.
If approved, the company said it is targeting to reach first production in 2027.
The facility would use commercially proven technology, allowing for efficiency in speed to market and future expansion, according to Azure.
Once fully operational, the facility will produce approximately 135 million gallons per year of renewable fuels, primarily SAF.
The use of Azure's SAF will reduce global aviation emissions by approximately 1 million tons per year, equivalent to removing emissions from roughly 200,000 cars annually.
There will be significant job creation throughout the construction and during operations of the facility, the company said.
Approximately 1,500 workers will be required through construction, and operations will require approximately 150 full-time positions.
Azure said it is dedicated to supporting the local economy and prioritizing local sourcing, where feasible.
Azure has also received significant support from the local government.
On Dec. 18, the Montgomery County Commission approved various tax incentives to help support the project.
These incentives include a 10-year property-tax exemption and an exemption on sales tax on construction materials and labor.
“We are pleased to have the opportunity to bring this project to Kansas,” said Douglas Cole, CEO of Azure. “Our project combines advancements from the aviation sector with the strength of the agricultural community, while relying on the skills and expertise of the oil-and-gas industry. We believe that our project would help to enhance Kansas’ rich aviation history and create a significant number of new construction and high-quality operations jobs. A project of this scale would not be possible without the support of local authorities, including the Montgomery County Commission.”
SAF is an essential component in reducing emissions in global aviation, providing a renewable alternative that can reduce emissions by greater than 50 percent relative to traditional fossil-based jet fuel.
SAF is a certified drop-in replacement fuel for commercial airlines and is in use today, globally.
Azure’s goal of producing SAF with the lowest emissions is further supported through an executed letter of intent with CapturePoint Solutions to explore the opportunity to tie in to its existing and operating CO2-sequestration network and infrastructure.
