Biofuels developer Infinium has started construction on its second U.S.-based eFuels production site Project Roadrunner.
The project, which is funded from investors including Brookfield Asset Management and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, is located in Reeves County, Texas, near the city of Pecos. The site is expected to produce 23,000 tons per year (7.6 million gallons) of sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) and other eFuel products for customers such as American Airlines and IAG, owner of British Airways, Aer Lingus and other international airline brands, once operational in 2027.
"Not only will the project produce commercial eSAF for its customers, but it will also bring highly skilled jobs and economic growth to the Pecos community and state of Texas,” said Infinium CEO, Robert Schuetzle, in a statement. “This project demonstrates the ongoing commitment of Infinium, its investors, and partners to help ensure that the United States remains a global leader in energy security, resilience and innovation."
Commercial agreements for the project, including feedstock, vendor and offtake contracts, have been structured and de-risked to attract the infrastructure capital and debt required for the continued scaling of the eFuels market, according to the company’s news release.
The Project Roadrunner facility will convert waste CO2 and renewable energy to produce sustainable aviation fuel, leveraging new renewable power assets purpose-built for the project. The fuels produced by the Roadrunner project will be sold domestically in the U.S. and exported to international markets.
As per an agreement with airline group IAG, the eSAF will be shipped to the UK to assure compliance requirements under the UK SAF Mandate, which requires at least 10 percent of all jet fuel in flights taking off from the UK is sourced from sustainable feedstocks by 2030.
Roadrunner has secured 150 MW of new wind generation capacity from a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources through a long-term power purchase agreement.
Infinium also has selected electrolyzer manufacturer Electric Hydrogen to supply its complete 100 MW HYPRPlant solution for the project, which will be integrated on site for green hydrogen production. The system will not only produce hydrogen for the eSAF facility but will also have capacity to support future hydrogen offtake opportunities.
Hydrogen does not contain carbon in its molecular chain so does not emit CO2 when combusted. To be considered green hydrogen, it is created by electrolyzers which are powered by carbon-free energy resources such as wind, solar, hydro or nuclear.
Sustainable aviation fuel has energy density comparable to jet fuel and can be utilized as a drop-in fuel blended with the latter. It is refined from bio feedstocks such as animal and plant waste.
