Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Avina Synthetic Aviation Fuel have announced a partnership to develop the first on-airport sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility. Avina will construct an onsite SAF facility that employs PureSAFSM, an alcohol-to-jet technology developed by Swedish Biofuels AB and licensed globally by engineering firm KBR. The facility is expected to produce over 100 million gallons of SAF annually and have a carbon intensity 65% lower than traditional jet fuel.
“KBR is proud to support the Pittsburgh International Airport team and enable it to be one of the first airports globally to provide SAF to its customers by producing it onsite at the airport,” said Hari Ravindran, KBR’s global senior vice president of technology. “PureSAF (alcohol-to-jet) technology, is designed to allow the facility to deliver 100% drop-in fuel made from renewable feedstocks while meeting global specifications for sustainable jet fuel. This project is a real example of how innovation and strong business relationships are delivering tangible benefits to the aviation industry.”
“Pittsburgh International Airport has long been committed to resiliency and driving innovation in the aviation and energy industries,” said PIT CEO Christina Cassotis. “This unique partnership with Avina and KBR will result in onsite SAF production and fills a growing need for our airline partners and the industry overall. With abundant natural resources, robust energy infrastructure, and available fuel storage, PIT is uniquely positioned to meet these goals and serve the growing demands for SAF.”
“Avina is excited to support the vision of Pittsburgh International Airport and bring a SAF production facility to their doorstep, “ said Vishal Shah, founder and CEO of Avina. “We are committed to bringing hundreds of jobs to the community and expanding the energy production ecosystem. With Pittsburgh’s commercial and cargo demand along with the network to connect to the other regional hubs, we aim to set the platform for such developments nationally and globally.”
‘“In pursuit of responsible and resilient growth in aerospace, Boeing supports the development of advanced, synthetic fuels here in the U.S. to power air travel into the future,” added Mike Caston, director of Americas partnerships and policy at Boeing.
