Feds, Manitoba fund FEED study for Azure Sustainable Fuels’ planned SAF facility

The federal and Manitoba governments are putting $2.9 million over two years into a front end engineering and design study for a planned sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) processing facility near Portage la Prairie, Man.

Azure Sustainable Fuels Corp. plans to construct a $1.9-billion SAF plant to produce around one billion litres of SAF a year, primarily from canola and soybean oils.

Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said in a news release the province is well-positioned for companies like Azure to advance lower-emissions energy markets.

“Our goal in supporting Azure is to have Manitoba recognized globally as a leader in successfully integrating agriculture with energy markets to provide a sustainable de-carbonization solution while creating more good jobs,” Stefansons aid.

The SAF facility project is expected to create 1,500 construction jobs, and around 150 permanent, highly specialized jobs once its in production.

“We are honored to receive funding from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership,” said Azure CEO Douglas Cole. “The support from Canada and Manitoba validates our vision to create a ‘Made-in-Canada’ solution to reduce carbon emissions globally by utilizing local feedstocks and Canadian skillsets. This support not only accelerates economic growth within the province, but also successfully integrates Canadian agriculture with energy markets to provide a sustainable decarbonization solution.”