Richardton, N.D: North Dakota Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak visited the Red Trail Energy bioethanol and carbon sequestration facility in Richardton on Monday, marking a significant moment for the future of sustainable energy in the state, reports AGWeek.
Fedorchak’s visit came months after Gevo Inc., a Colorado-based sustainable fuel company, purchased the plant for approximately $210 million. The company announced it plans to add a new on-site facility to convert ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel.
The acquisition was first revealed in September 2024. Red Trail Energy shareholders approved the sale in December, and the deal was finalized in February 2025.
Fedorchak, who co-chairs the Congressional Biofuels Caucus, met with Gevo representatives to discuss biofuel production, project timelines, carbon capture, and how energy and agriculture can work together. In a conversation with The Dickinson Press, she voiced strong support for the initiative.
“North Dakota’s economy is rooted in agriculture,” Fedorchak said. “We need to find better and higher value uses for our crops. Biofuels represent a major opportunity, especially now when the world is demanding more energy with lower carbon emissions.”
Gevo, founded in 2005, focuses on developing sustainable, low-carbon alternatives to traditional petroleum-based fuels. The company had originally planned a sustainable aviation fuel plant in Lake Preston, South Dakota, but when that site failed to secure permits, Gevo turned its attention to Richardton.
Chris Ryan, Gevo’s president and COO, said the Richardton location was ideal due to its existing infrastructure, access to local agriculture, and an operational carbon capture system.
“We wanted a site that aligns with our strategy and could move quickly. Richardton checked every box,” Ryan said.
If completed ahead of Gevo’s South Dakota plant, the Richardton facility could become the first fully integrated sustainable aviation fuel plant in the United States. Currently, the plant produces 65 million gallons of ethanol annually using 23 million bushels of corn. It also sells by-products like distillers grains, animal feed syrup, and corn oil.
The site already hosts the country’s first carbon storage project permitted under state regulations.
“The team running the plant is very efficient,” Ryan said. “We don’t plan on changing that.”
Gevo’s planned facility would convert the plant’s ethanol output directly into jet fuel on-site.
“That’s our main focus—producing sustainable aviation fuel from the ethanol already being made there,” Ryan added.
The project is expected to create around 50 permanent jobs, along with many more during the construction phase.
Stark County Commission Chairman Neal Messer, a Richardton native and grain farmer, welcomed the project, saying it would bring added value to local crops and support rural communities.
“This is a win for farmers. It lets smaller towns like Richardton grow and prosper,” Messer said.
He also confirmed receiving payments for carbon storage beneath his land and said he’s optimistic about the project’s agricultural impact, believing it would allow farmers to expand and diversify.
The aviation industry is under growing pressure to cut emissions. In 2021, the International Air Transport Association pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with sustainable aviation fuel expected to account for 65% of that reduction and carbon capture for another 19%.
“Airlines are looking for lower-carbon fuel options,” Ryan said. “By blending biofuel with petroleum jet fuel, not only do you stretch fuel supply, but you also reduce overall emissions.”
The blended fuel typically contains 10–50% sustainable aviation fuel, depending on current regulations. Ryan believes that 100% sustainable aviation fuel could become more common in the future.
However, not everyone agrees on the benefits. The World Resources Institute (WRI) has raised concerns that sustainable aviation fuel may not significantly reduce emissions, pointing to the need for more farmland and the loss of carbon-absorbing grasslands—issues particularly relevant in North Dakota’s landscape.
Ryan responded that no major land-use changes are expected, since the ethanol plant has been operating for years. He also acknowledged the potential for increased corn production but said local farmers are ready.
“We asked our suppliers if they could grow more corn, and they said yes,” Ryan said.
Critics have also pointed out that the ethanol-to-jet fuel conversion ratio—1.7 gallons of ethanol to 1 gallon of jet fuel—is inefficient. Ryan countered that the process actually concentrates energy by removing water, improving energy content.
On carbon sequestration, environmental groups have raised safety concerns, including potential leaks into groundwater. Gevo officials said they are taking steps to reduce those risks.
As the Richardton project moves forward, it reflects both the promise and the complexity of transitioning to cleaner energy while supporting rural economies.
