Southwest Airlines invests in startup that turns corn waste into sustainable aviation fuel

As part of a Department of Energy-backed effort, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is investing in SAFFiRE Renewables, a new startup that aims to turn corn waste into sustainable aviation fuel.

Once the product is fully tested, SAFFiRE says about 7.5 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel could be produced by 2040. Southwest CEO Bob Jordan calls the technology “game-changing.”

Ahead of an expected surge in summer travel, Southwest Airlines is looking to make its flights more environmentally friendly in the long term.

The Dallas-based carrier is investing in SAFFiRE Renewables to pilot a project to use sustainable aviation fuel, as part of a U.S. Department of Energy-backed effort,

“[Sustainable aviation fuel] is critical for decarbonizing the aviation sector,” Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said in a statement. “This is a unique opportunity to invest in what we believe could be game-changing technology.”

SAFFiRE—which stands for Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Renewable Ethanol—was formed this year by North Dakota-based cellulosic ethanol company D3MAX to pilot and commercialize renewable ethanol fuel technology from the DoE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

According to a video posted by Southwest, corn waste left over after harvesting—called corn stover—will be converted into renewable ethanol, which will then be utilized through “alcohol-to-jet technology” for use by the aviation industry. dallasinnovates.com