Montana Renewables Delivers SAF to Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport

GREAT FALLS — Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is the future of air travel, and Calumet-based Montana Renewables has been a leader in the space for more than a decade.

“We’re one of the first to enter this market,” said Lanni Klasner, communications manager for Montana Renewables. “And the type of fuel we’re producing will help lower greenhouse gases and lower emissions. And that’s something the aviation industry is really looking for.”

SAF is a blend of synthetic paraffin naphtha and aviation fuel that is more environmentally friendly than traditional aviation fuel.

“SAF actually emits less carbon dioxide,” says Klasner, “and is made from renewable raw materials and bio-based agricultural products.”

Great Falls is located in the so-called Golden Triangle, making it an ideal location for SAF production. In fact, Montana Renewables is the largest SAF producer in North America.

“They have the raw materials and agricultural products that we need to make sustainable jet fuel and renewable diesel,” Klasner said. “So it was just the best location.”

Montana Renewables sends most of its SAF to Los Angeles International Airport. The market expanded east this weekend.

“We had an exciting milestone,” Klasner said. “We shipped our first SAF shipment to Minneapolis Saint Paul Airport.”

This will be the first use of SAF at an airport. The product is a result of cooperation with Minnesota.

“We brought the oil supplies from Minnesota, shipped them here, hired the workers, and then shipped them back to Minnesota,” Klasner explained.

This is another important milestone not only for Montana Renewables and Calumet, but for the entire SAF industry.

“It’s exciting to be a part of Montana Renewables and just the expansion and what they’ve done for Great Falls,” Klasner said, “And then another milestone and this delivery to Minnesota shows, you know, the reach we have.”

SAF fuel will be used to refuel Delta Airlines aircraft at Minneapolis St. Paul Airport.