SkyNRG is working with Washington state and local agencies on the project at the Port of Walla Walla’s Wallula Gap Industrial Business Park. (SkyNRG)
The municipal Port of Walla Walla in southeast Washington has secured a $1.5 million state grant for Amsterdam-based SkyNRG to annually produce 50 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel near a multimodal freight network.
“SkyNRG’s new facility will be an important economic driver in the region and throughout our state’s innovative clean energy and aerospace sectors,” said Gov. Bob Ferguson. “Sustainable aviation fuels are central to the evolving global aerospace industry, and we’re proud to be leading the way here in Washington state.”
SkyNRG selected the industrial park as the site for its manufacturing facility due to its proximity to Washington airports and the surrounding West Coast markets, where it sees potential for rising demand across the transportation industry for alternative fuels to help reduce carbon emissions. The facility will produce SAF and renewable diesel using feedstocks such as renewable natural gas.
According to the governor’s office, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport dispenses yearly 600 million gallons of aviation fuel. It added that the Port of Seattle “intends to migrate 10% of that volume to SAF — about 60 million gallons per year — and to procure it from local, sustainable sources.”
This RNG uses materials culled from landfills and wastewater treatment plants as well as animal manure, all of which can be transported using existing natural gas pipelines. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that RNG is a substitute for chemically identical natural gas and has several applications, including use as vehicle fuel.
Founded in 2010, SkyNRG provides SAF to more than 130 customers across the world, and is developing dedicated production facilities to support the shift from fossil jet fuel to sustainable aviation fuel.
The barge port is located at the base of the Blue Mountains along the Snake River, part of a waterway system connected to the Columbia River that spans from the Pacific Ocean over 365 miles inland.
The venture is expected to add as many as 600 jobs during construction, and employ about 100 people when the production facility opens in 2029. Construction on the 165-acre parcel is slated for next year.
“The Port of Walla Walla is proud to support SkyNRG’s investment, which helps to broaden our economic base while enhancing the strength and resilience of our community,” said Patrick Reay, port executive director. “This facility positions Walla Walla as a leader in sustainable aviation fuel while creating quality jobs and long-term economic benefits. SkyNRG’s presence underscores our commitment to innovation and attracting forward-thinking industries.”
“We are excited to help expand American-made fuel production, as well as Washington state’s leadership in the global clean energy transition,” added John Plaza, CEO SkyNRG Americas. “We are also proud to bring new jobs to this community.”
The Washington State Department of Commerce allocated money for the project from the Governor’s Economic Development Strategic Reserve Fund.
“This project aligns with our strategic growth priorities around clean technology and innovation,” said Joe Nguyen, Commerce Department director. “In addition to furthering Washington’s leadership in clean energy and sustainable aviation, it creates family-wage manufacturing jobs that strengthen the local economy and community.”
