Industry leaders, investors excited over grand opening of LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels
LanzaJet, a leading sustainable fuels technology company and sustainable fuels producer, joined government officials, industry leaders, and investors to celebrate the grand opening of LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels in Soperton, Georgia.
Freedom Pines Fuels is the world’s first alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) SAF production facility and will begin producing 10 million gallons of SAF and renewable diesel per year from ethanol, using a range of sustainable, low carbon intensity ethanol, including from waste-based feedstocks, to substantially increase the amount of current SAF production in the United States.
“Today is testament to the conviction required by industry, government, and funders to advance innovation and stretch the boundaries of what is achievable to address decarbonization and tackle climate change. This is a historic milestone in a long history of firsts for LanzaJet, the United States, and the SAF industry globally. Our novel LanzaJet ethanol to SAF process technology is now deployed at our commercial plant in Georgia which will convert ethanol into drop-in SAF. As we start-up the plant, we will continue to refine our technology, while launching our efforts to advance new sustainable fuels projects globally. Between feedstock versatility, efficiency, and economics that enable scale in the US and globally, we stand ready to meet aviation’s decarbonization goals established at the United Nations and country ambitions, such as the U.S. SAF Grand Challenge.”
– LanzaJet CEO Jimmy Samartzis
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to harnessing the full potential of SAF as we continue to build a strong economy that is sustainable, resilient, competitive, and keeps rural places thriving. As we transition to SAF, this will not only create new climate smart commodity markets for American producers, but it will also help American companies such as LanzaJet corner the market of a valuable, emerging industry, while revitalizing rural communities like Soperton with agriculture front and center in the effort. LanzaJet’s facility will help accelerate the SAF industry and provide new economic opportunities for producers for a more sustainable future.”
– U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
“The completion of this facility highlights how Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach is helping build a cleaner, healthier, and safer future through American workers and homegrown clean energy solutions. This a huge win for Georgia’s economy and a testament to the importance of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda in driving new economic opportunities to communities across the country and reinforcing our nation’s industrial might.”
– U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy David M. Turk
“LanzaJet has reached a momentous milestone with the grand opening of a first of its kind sustainable aviation fuel plant right here in Georgia, continuing to take our state’s clean energy economy to greater heights. I am thrilled to see the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy investments in action, particularly the provisions from the AERO Act, a bill I introduced and championed to boost sustainable aviation fuel production and bring more clean energy jobs to Georgia. Georgia’s emerging clean energy economy is making it clear that we do not have to choose between our ecology and our economy.”
– U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock
“I join Secretary Vilsack, Deputy Secretary Turk, Senator Warnock, Mayor Koon, Chairman Jennings, and local leaders in congratulating LanzaJet on this important milestone and their innovative efforts to make aviation more sustainable.”
– U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff
“In the No. 1 state for business, innovators such as LanzaJet are finding the resources and support they need to grow and thrive alongside communities such as Soperton. Today’s grand opening is another milestone in Georgia’s emergence as a national leader in industries such as aerospace and innovation that are bringing unprecedented jobs and investment to all four corners of the state.”
– Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp
“SAF will play a critical role in meeting our net zero targets and especially in reducing aviation’s emissions this decade. It is the only viable solution for long-haul flights. Today’s opening is a true milestone in the development and commercial production of SAF using LanzaJet’s ethanol to SAF process technology. This project acts as the blueprint for using this innovative technology right here in the UK, starting with Project Speedbird, and shows how quickly the US is moving ahead. We must continue to work with the UK Government to encourage investors to put money into SAF production and meet its own targets of having five commercial-scale SAF plants under construction in the UK by 2025. The Government has already started on this journey, and we welcome this, but what we need now is pace.”
– Sean Doyle, Chairman and CEO, British Airways
“The LanzaJet ethanol-to-jet fuel plant in the US is a demonstration of how government support and investment in green technologies can help make aviation more sustainable. At IAG, we look forward to bringing LanzaJet’s technology to the UK, with Nova Pangaea, to help the UK meet its target of five Sustainable Aviation Fuel plants in construction by 2025.”
– Luis Gallego, CEO, International Airlines Group (IAG)
“LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels is proof of the energy transition accelerating in real time. We are demonstrating the ability to establish secure supply chains domestically, create new jobs locally, and produce sustainable aviation fuel globally. This historic facility is an important pillar of a growing SAF economy in the United States and is a significant decarbonization milestone in the world.”
– Jennifer Holmgren, LanzaJet Board Director and Chief Executive Officer, LanzaTech
“It is a great pleasure to hear about the remarkable progress that LanzaJet has achieved with their first commercial plant despite the challenging business environment. Mitsui will continue collaborating with all stakeholders to support LanzaJet’s activities and is extremely proud to be a part of such a strong partnership. We believe this new facility will demonstrate the robustness of LanzaJet’s innovative ATJ technology, and Mitsui aims to develop commercial projects with partners around the globe to contribute to creating sustainable futures.”
– Toru Iijima, Chief Operating Officer of the Energy Solutions Business Unit, Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
“I am delighted to see this significant milestone achieved. The alcohol-to-jet conversion process is an exciting new sustainable aviation fuel production pathway, and its commercialization paves the way to support decarbonization of the sector. Biofuels play an essential role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors including aviation, and in turn supporting delivery of the energy transition for our customers and wider society. Congratulations to LanzaJet on achieving this world-first.”
– Sinead Lynch, Senior Vice President Low Carbon Fuels, Shell
“A number of years ago, Suncor chose to be a founding investor of Lanzajet because we believed that this technology presented a long-term business opportunity and also had the potential to significantly reduce aviation emissions. Once the Freedom Pines Fuels facility is fully operational, it will play a critical role in scaling sustainable aviation fuel production and bringing lower-cost sustainable fuels to market – providing customers with a product they want.”
– Mark Townley, Senior Vice President, Suncor
“LanzaJet is serious about urgently meeting the moment to decarbonize aviation and Freedom Pines Fuels is evidence of that. This facility will use innovative ethanol-to-jet technology and substantially increase the amount of SAF produced for the world’s airlines and aviation industry. In large part due to projects such as this one, we are making real climate progress in aviation.”
– Sir David King, LanzaJet Board Director, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Former UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser (2000−2007)
“The opening of LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards a cleaner aviation future. This plant is more than a source of cleaner fuel; it’s a catalyst for a global sustainable aviation fuel industry and demonstrates how a clean energy economy can drive job creation and local economic development. Breakthrough Energy is proud to have played a critical role in supporting LanzaJet to get to this moment and congratulate everyone at LanzaJet whose hard work and ingenuity made it possible.”
– Mario Fernandez, Head of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst
“At Microsoft, we are working to reduce our scope 3 emissions by more than half by 2030. LanzaJet’s Freedom Pines Fuel Facility represents a massive step forward in scaling up production of high-quality sustainable fuels, a critical part of reducing hard-to-abate sectors.”
– Brandon Middaugh, Senior Director, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund
“Opening the world’s first commercial ATJ facility creates new options for sustainable aviation fuel production, accelerating the development and availability of SAF. Widespread availability of SAF is critical to achieving the net-zero carbon emissions goal of the aviation industry. A4A appreciates LanzaJet’s leadership and is excited by this opportunity, particularly for the impact it will have on U.S. SAF production and the jobs created by new facilities like this.”
– Airlines for America (A4A)
Congratulations to the team at LanzaJet! As the aviation sector gears up to meet its net zero carbon commitment by 2050, the role of sustainable aviation fuel cannot be underestimated. We will need around 23 Mt of SAF production capacity by 2030 and almost 500 Mt by 2050. Every production facility that opens – such as LanzaJet’s Freedom Pines plant – helps us get closer to those objectives.
– Haldane Dodd, Executive Director, Air Transport Action Group (ATAG)
“Zachry Group is proud to work with LanzaJet, helping to engineer this first-of-a-kind sustainable aviation fuel facility. This innovative project underscores our commitment to sustainability and reflects our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the pursuit of a greener future for aviation.”
– Mike Kotara, President, Zachry Sustainability Solutions, a Zachry Group company
“Thompson Construction Group is honored to support LanzaJet in building world’s first commercial ethanol-to-SAF biorefinery. Jimmy and his team are on the tip of the sphere regarding scalable renewable energy in the aviation industry. Congratulations on the Freedom Pines Fuels project. It’s the first of many projects well done!”
– Greg, Thompson, CEO, Thompson Construction Group
“On behalf of everyone at Zeton, we congratulate LanzaJet on this milestone achievement with their Grand Opening Ceremony of the Freedom Pines Fuels plant. Zeton continues to support LanzaJet with this ground-breaking commercial demonstration plant. Start-up and commissioning are challenging undertakings and the LanzaJet team has demonstrated great
dedication, hard work, focus and drive to reach this milestone. We continue to build on our close alignment between our organizations and this is truly an exciting day for SAF fuels technology and the supply chain.”
– Dr. Leisl Dukhedin-Lalla, President & CEO, Zeton
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