In the United States (US), sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) developer DG Fuels, LLC (DGF) has announced the execution of a long-term lease agreement with the Loring Development Authority for 1 240 acres of contiguous land in Aroostook County, Maine (ME) for DGF's second planned SAF production facility.
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The land, which is part of the former Loring Air Force Base located near Limestone and Caribou, will be the site of DGF’s second SAF facility as well as the site for other industrial development.
Subject to timely financing commitments, the project will break ground in the Summer of 2024.
The project is expected to create 2 300 jobs during the construction phase and 650 permanent jobs for the operation of the facility. The project is currently expected to be completed in 2027.
This exciting project will support efforts by the Mills Administration to revitalize the former Loring Air Force Base and bring new good-paying job opportunities to Aroostook County. We look forward to working closely with DG Fuels as this project continues to take shape, said Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic & Community Development.
Strategic location
The location in Northern Maine affords DGF key logistical and environmental advantages.
The ability to import stranded hydroelectric power and regional timber and agricultural waste while exporting net zero carbon SAF by pipeline helps reduce the overall product carbon intensity.
According to DGF, its high carbon conversion efficiency system allows for the aggressive scale-up of production to meet the aviation industries’ need for SAF in Maine and New York Area.
While DGF retains flexibility relating to the destination of the SAF to be produced at the Maine facility, DGF is actively exploring the possibility of delivering SAF to the New York City airports or other major East Coast airport locations.
Ultimate considerations include the future adoption of state-level incentives similar to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credits available in California (CA).
This kind of investment is key to the Loring Development Authority’s strategy to innovate and promote the economic development of Loring as a green energy hub for Maine as well as develop the airport for renewed operations, said Carl W. Flora, President & CEO, Loring Development Authority of Maine.
Low carbon process
At its initial expected output of approximately 175 million (US) gallons (≈ 662.4 million litres) per year, the DGF SAF product will effectively remove an estimated 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere annually.
DGF’s patented system design is expected to have a carbon intensity score of about -1 gram per megajoule, which is 100 percent lower than conventional fossil Jet A fuel.
According to DGF, its SAF formula also has a higher energy density than conventional Jet A, providing airline customers with operational advantages in addition to environmental benefits.
Additionally, DG Fuels SAF product has improved blending characteristics when burned in conjunction with green hydrogen which will further reduce future fuel emissions.
DG Fuels baseline process differs from other systems by having little or no environmental emissions either to the atmosphere or waters while at the same time providing a customer for all forms of agricultural waste to the regions agricultural community alongside waste from the timber industry, said Michael C. Darcy, CEO of DG Fuels.
