The Project is developing a sustainable aviation fuel ("SAF") production plant with renewable Naphtha as a byproduct utilizing woody biomass waste, such as thinning, with the production capacity of 32 million gallons per year and the scheduled commercial operation date in 2029.
The Project will convert woody biomass waste into synthesis gas, and then synthesize and upgrade it into SAF and Renewable Naphtha ("RN"). The Project is powered by a biomass-fired power plant using sawmill and other woody biomass waste attached with carbon capture and storage ("CCS") facility addressing CO2 emitted from the Project, both installed onsite and owned by the Project.
As a result, the SAF and RN produced from this integrated Project achieves profoundly negative carbon emissions (equivalent to removing nearly 300,000 passenger cars from the road every year). Once complete, the Project will create approximately 150 direct jobs onsite, while five to six times as many indirect job opportunities are also expected and will contribute to the improvement of the local quality of life.
Sumitomo, through its subsidiary Sumitomo Corporation of Americas entered into Joint Development Agreement with Strategic Biofuels on the Project in February 2024. JX, through its subsidiary JX Nippon Oil Exploration Limited, and SCOA will jointly establish a consortium Magnolia Sustainable Energy Partners to manage and make investment in the Project.
Toshiya Nakahara, President, and CEO of JX said, "JX is excited to join this journey with Strategic Biofuels and Sumitomo, who possess remarkable technical, project management, business, and financing expertise and leadership, to jointly lead this Project to a success leveraging on our expertise in CCS built at Petra Nova CCUS*4 project and other projects."
Koji Aso, Managing Executive Officers of Sumitomo / Head of Energy Innovation Initiative, said, "We are deeply honored to have JX, which possesses abundant expertise and technological capabilities in the CCUS field through projects like the world's largest Petra Nova CCUS project, participating in this project. Together with Japanese companies possessing unique technologies, experiences, and knowledge in the decarbonization field, we will provide various functions and values not only in terms of funding but also in collaboration with public and private stakeholders in both Japan and the United States, contributing to the success of the project."
