U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) on Aug. 28 applauded construction plans for Southwest Airlines’ new SAFFiRE plant in Liberal, Kan., which will use corn stover — the stalks, leaves, and cobs that are left over after the corn harvest — to produce renewable ethanol that will be converted into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
“This facility’s cutting-edge technology will transform the corn stalks and husks remaining after harvest into ethanol that will be processed into fuel used to fly airplanes,” said Sen. Moran, co-chair of the U.S. Senate Sustainable Aviation Caucus, during the plant’s groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday.
“With this new energy plant, Liberal will play a key role in developing sustainable aviation fuel that is a cleaner fuel for planes, creates a new market for farmers, and brings the United States closer to being energy independent,” the lawmaker said.
On Jan. 23, Sen. Moran also sponsored the Farm to Fly Act of 2024, S. 3637, which would help accelerate the production and development of SAF through existing U.S. Department of Agriculture programs. U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) are cosponsoring the bill, which remains under consideration in the U.S. Senate.
During the groundbreaking, Sen. Moran was joined by Tom Nealon, CEO of SAFFiRE; Tom Willis, CEO of Conestoga; Federal Aviation Administration Deputy Regional Director Debra Sanning; Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy; Dr. Valerie Sarisky-Reed, director of the Bioenergy Technologies Office in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann (R-KS) and U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).
“China’s recent decision to decrease imports of sorghum makes projects like this even more vital to support our producers,” said Sen. Moran.