December 22, 2023 [World Grain]- Azure plans to develop a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in Cherryvale, Kansas, US.
SAF is a liquid fuel used in commercial aviation that is capable of reducing the aviation industry’s emissions by up to 80%. Agricultural feedstocks can be used to produce the fuel, including vegetable oils, waste oil and fats.
Azure has been working on a front-end engineering design study since June, with completion in 2024. It is targeting a final investment decision by early 2025. If approved, the company 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. 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.
Approximately 1,500 workers will be required through construction, and operations will require approximately 150 full-time positions.
Azure has received significant support from the local government, including various tax incentives from the Montgomery County Commission. 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, chief executive officer 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.”
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 carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration network and infrastructure.
Azure is a privately held corporation solely focused on developing SAF-focused renewable fuels production facilities, which are required to meet current domestic and international mandates related to the reduction of CO2emissions generated by the aviation sector.
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