DG Fuels on Oct. 30 announced plans to construct a 193 MMgy sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility in Moorhead, Minnesota. The proposed project supports the development of the Minnesota SAF Hub, an initiative spearheaded by the Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership (Greater MSP).
The proposed $5 billion SAF plant is expected to take approximately four years to construct, with operations currently expected to begin in 2030. Once operational, the plant will take in cellulosic biomass as feedstock, including corn stover and timber waste.
“DG Fuels’ baseline process differs from other systems by having little or no environmental emissions either to the atmosphere or waters while at the same time providing significant economic value to the agricultural communities and farmers that we partner with,” said Michael C. Darcy, CEO of DG Fuels.
Development of the SAF plant is expected to create state-wide economic benefits. DG Fuels estimates its investment in the project will create 650 jobs, generate millions of dollars per year of on-farm income, and result in $50 billion of economic impact across Minnesota.
According to Greater MSP, the 193 MMgy of expected SAF production capacity would be enough to offset nearly half of the fuel used at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
“This exciting announcement demonstrates how building a new SAF economy in Minnesota will create opportunities that stretch from the tarmac of MSP International Airport to every corner of the state,” said Peter Frosch, president and CEO of the GREATER MSP Partnership.
The Minnesota facility is one of several SAF projects announced by DG Fuels. The company initially announced plans to develop a 450 MMgy facility in Louisiana that is projected to be operational in 2028. DG Fuels in 2022 signed a key land agreement for the development of a proposed 175 MMgy facility in Maine and in August 2024 announced plans to develop a 193 MMgy SAF plant in Nebraska.
