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Global thinking
GREATER MSP estimates a SAF industry in Minnesota will create 40,000 new jobs and over $ 20 billion of investment. While the local economic impact is significant, realizing the potential requires engaging with partners around the world. The expertise in fuels, capital, carbon accounting, and other critical elements of the overall SAF challenge is distributed globally. Leaders of the Minnesota SAF Hub are recruiting both private sector and government partners across North America, Europe and Asia. Today, they are working to draw in knowledge and capital with a view to potentially exporting SAF via ports in the Great Lakes in the years ahead.
Consider all options
Minnesota has an incredible range of feedstocks to support SAF production including agricultural waste, forestry residuals, corn, soy, novel cover crops, CO 2
, and soon green hydrogen. In a field like SAF, where there are multiple technical solutions, all developing rapidly, this flexibility is critical to support the broad ecosystem of start-ups, potential off-takers, established producers, and logistics providers to scale up. The diversity, proximity and significant volumes of SAF inputs in Minnesota reduce risk, increase resilience and ensure carbon reduction can far exceed the minimum 50 percent reduction to qualify as SAF.
Partnerships require win-win thinking
Self-interest is important to every partnership. In this effort, partners, from state and local governments to nonprofits, trade groups and businesses, advance their own strategic interests through their participation in the Minnesota SAF Hub, ensuring long-term participation and keeping the partnership together through challenges.
Expect challenges
Significant change does not come easily. But we choose to embark on big efforts like shifting the airline industry to SAF as former President John F. Kenndy said,“ not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” Minnesota has built its economy over the past century and a half by long-term innovation and tackling global challenges; where others see challenges, we see a fit for our unique strengths.
Collaboration is essential
A successful SAF ecosystem requires stakeholders from various sectors, including agriculture, energy, finance, academia, and government. The Minnesota SAF Hub is a coalition that includes Delta Air Lines, Bank of America, Ecolab, Cargill, Xcel Energy and dozens more. The Hub is facilitating the development of a supply chain that connects feedstock production, refining, blending, and distribution to the Minneapolis – Saint Paul International Airport. This focused, unified approach is resulting in tangible progress at a rapid pace.
Attracting supply
To create the demand that will drive supply, the Minnesota SAF Hub established an innovative consortium comprised of Delta Air Lines, Bank of America, Deloitte and Ecolab. Each of these corporations has committed to collectively purchase the first several million gallons of SAF. These commitments will provide verified carbon emission reductions to employee business travel and secure demand that spurs continued growth of the SAF market.
Innovative feedstocks
Winter camelina, a regenerative oilseed crop being developed by the University of Minnesota and Cargill, has shown promise as a sustainable feedstock for SAF. In September 2024, the Minnesota SAF Hub celebrated
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