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.

Lanni Klasner, communications manager for Montana Renewables, explained: “We’re one of the first in this market, and the type of fuel we produce will help reduce greenhouse gases and 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.

Klasner said that “SAF actually emits less carbon dioxide and is produced using renewable raw materials and organic farming 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 produce sustainable jet fuel and renewable diesel, so it was just the perfect location,” she noted.

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 shipment to Minneapolis Saint Paul SAF.”

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.

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