Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Avina Synthetic Aviation Fuel (Avina) have announced a groundbreaking partnership to build the first on-airport sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in the United States using alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) technology, reports Biofuels international.
Avina will construct a cutting-edge facility on airport property, just south of PIT’s terminal, using PureSAF™ technology — an ATJ process developed by Swedish Biofuels AB and licensed globally by engineering firm KBR. The plant will produce ASTM-certified SAF, marking a major step in advancing low-carbon air travel.
Once fully operational, the multi-phase facility is expected to produce over 100 million gallons of SAF annually, supplying fuel to both commercial and cargo carriers at PIT and in the surrounding region.
“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,” said Mike Caston, Director of Americas Partnerships and Policy at Boeing.
The project has drawn strong backing from key stakeholders, including KBR, Avina, and PIT, all of whom emphasized the initiative’s significance in the transition to cleaner aviation fuels.
“KBR is proud to support Pittsburgh International Airport in becoming one of the first airports globally to produce SAF onsite for its customers,” said Hari Ravindran, KBR’s Global Senior Vice President for Technology. “Our PureSAF™ technology enables the facility to produce 100% drop-in jet fuel made from renewable sources, meeting global SAF standards.”
Leaders from all partners described the venture as a model of innovation and collaboration that will deliver real benefits to the aviation industry while helping to reduce its carbon footprint.
