• Licensing and PDP are subject to Notice to Proceed
  • This is NEXTCHEM’s second SAF initiative with DG Fuels, following the successful results of the first project under development in Lousiana
  • The plant, set to be operational in 2029, will produce up to 450 million liters per year of SAF, which combined with Louisiana’s capacity will account for approx. 8% of the US SAF mandate by 2030

Milan, 4 December 2024 – MAIRE S.p.A. through its subsidiary MyRechemical, a key player in the Waste-to-Chemical segment, has been awarded by DG Fuels LCC an early engineering, licensing and Process Design Package (PDP) contract based on its proprietary NX CircularTM gasification technology for a SAF plant located in Nebraska, USA.

The plant of DG Fuels, a US company engaged in renewable hydrogen and low emissions aviation fuel, is expected to be operational in 2029, with an annual production of 450 million liters of SAF derived from residual biomass.

The licensing and process design package phase is subject to Notice to Proceed and is necessary for the implementation of the gasification and gas treatment units, able to process 1 million tons per year of corn stover, representing the first step for the SAF production.

The project meets the requirements set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Clean Fuels & Products Shot initiative, which aims to decarbonize the aviation sector by industrializing SAF production. 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 airlines’ carbon offsetting requirements. The combined capacity of DG Fuels’ SAF plants in Louisiana and Nebraska could potentially account for 8% of the US SAF mandate by 2030[1].

Fabio Fritelli, NEXTCHEM MD, commented: “This project builds on the successful completion of the engineering phase for DG Fuels’ SAF plant in Louisiana, announced in December 2023. Together, these two projects rank among the largest global SAF initiatives, showcasing NEXTCHEM's leadership in advancing circular solutions for decarbonization and its commitment to the strategic market of North America.”

__________________

[1] In September 2021, the Biden administration launched a government challenge to supply at least 3 billion gallons of SAF per year by 2030 and have enough SAF by 2050. Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/09/09/fact-sheet-biden-administration-advances-the-future-of-sustainable-fuels-in-american-aviation/