First step towards implementing a facility that would process up to 500 million liters per year of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Louisiana, due to be operational in 2028
NEXTCHEM selected as technology licensor for the project, which currently represents one of the largest SAF initiatives globally
Milan, 6 December 2023 - MAIRE S.p.A. announces that NEXTCHEM (Sustainable Technology Solutions BU), through its subsidiary MyRechemical, leading the Waste-to-Chemical segment, has been selected by DG Fuels Lousiana to provide the Process Design Package in relation to a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) facility under development in St. James Parish, Louisiana (USA).
The plant, expected to be operational in 2028, will produce 350,000 tons per year of SAF derived from biomasses and waste resources. MyRechemical has been selected as technology licensor in relation to a gasification unit and a gas treatment unit able to process 1,000,000 tons per year of bagasse and sugar cane trash and pulp, representing the first step for the SAF production.
The gasification technology and the know-how to transform synthetic gas into valuable products play a pivotal role within NEXTCHEM’s technology portfolio, making MAIRE a key player to enable the decarbonization of the world’s industries through the circular economy. Contributing to a sustainable mobility with the use of a wide range of clean fuel solutions, including the valorization of agricultural waste is, in fact, one of MAIRE’s main objectives as envisaged in its business plan.
The project meets the requirements set in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Clean Fuels & Products Shot initiative aimed at decarbonizing the aviation sector through the industrialization of SAF. Additionally, SAF derived from biomass or waste resources is eligible under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to reduce the carbon offsetting requirements of airlines.
Alessandro Bernini, MAIRE CEO, commented: “The award is a strong recognition of our efforts to implement and industrialize the waste-to-chemicals solutions developed by NEXTCHEM. The industry is rewarding our expertise and commitment to technologies that support the global decarbonization roadmap. Having been selected for this strategic project confirms that our DG Fuels (the parent of DG Fuels Louisiana) is a U.S. company engaged in renewable hydrogen and biogenic based, synthetic low emissions aviation fuel. The company has established several partnerships and offtake agreements with major global airlines and is currently developing its first SAF facility. Technology is best positioned in a competitive market such as the US, where circularity is playing a key role in achieving carbon footprint reduction targets”.
Michael Darcy, DG FUEL CEO & Chairman, commented: “We are very happy to formalize our
agreement to use the NEXTCHEM gasification technology in our first zero carbon SAF production
facility. NEXTCHEM’s superior technology, extremely strong engineering capabilities and
unquestioned financial wherewithal makes them the ideal partner in our efforts to decarbonize the
aviation industry”.