_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SAF
the first flight to leave MSP Airport with SAF. That Delta flight flew with SAF made from winter camelina, demonstrating the potential of this regenerative crop to both improve water quality across the Upper Midwest while reducing carbon emissions from air travel by over 75 percent. Work is now underway to scale winter camelina from roughly 10,000 acres today, to over one million acres by the end of the decade. Doing this will require building farmer confidence, enhancing agronomics and establishing new supply chains.
Scaling production
Developing SAF production facilities entails significant financial investment and extended timelines. Last fall, DG Fuels announced the selection of a site in Moorhead, Minnesota, for a roughly $ 5 billion facility that would produce 193 million gallons per year of SAF. Production is expected to begin in 2030, which exemplifies the scale and commitment required.
In closing, a coordinated, multi-sector approach is necessary to develop a robust SAF industry. By fostering collaboration, creating demand, and navigating supply chain challenges, the Minnesota
SAF Hub is on the leading edge of a global important industry. ■
Peter Frosch www. greatermsp. org
Peter Frosch is President and Chief Executive Officer of the GREATER MSP Partnership, the regional economic development partnership for the 15-county Minneapolis-Saint Paul region. Before joining GREATER MSP, Frosch served as Legislative Director for Congresswoman Betty McCollum in Washington, D. C., and as Director of Environmental Policy at Environmental Initiative, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit.
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