Azure to develop SAF-focused renewable fuel in Canada
Azure Sustainable Fuels Corp., a developer in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry, continues to reach milestones in its development of a renewable fuel production facility in Canada that will produce approximately 20,000 barrels per day of predominantly SAF with first production targeted for 2027.
“Our ambition is to develop the first SAF-dedicated renewable fuel production facility of scale in Canada, by utilising Canadian skillsets and natural resources to achieve first production in 2027,” said Douglas Cole, Azure’s CEO. “We have established critical partnerships with leaders in their respective industries that are required to successfully construct and operate a facility of this nature. At the same time, we have worked closely with federal, provincial and Indigenous governments to adhere to all regulations and requirements.”
With the recent announcements made by Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Clean Fuels Fund, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and the Government of Manitoba’s Sustainable Agriculture Fund, Azure is now fully-funded through the completion of the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) stage.
Azure adds it is committed to building beneficial relationships with Indigenous communities based on respect and understanding. As such, Azure has partnered with Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc in British Columbia to co-develop a facility on their ancestral lands and continues to advance discussions with local Indigenous groups in Manitoba and Ontario.
Azure has also secured strategic partnerships with a network of respected companies spanning all the critical elements of the facility and the value chain, including:
- Shell Catalysts & Technologies
- Richard Design Services: Engineering, Procurement & Construction
- CN: Rail and Transportation Services
- Savage: Supply Chain Infrastructure
- Bartlett: Feedstock
Further, the company has engaged in numerous conversations with end users of SAF, including some of the largest potential customers in the Canadian market, and continues to advance discussions to secure offtake agreements for additional product from the facility.
Azure has sought to maximise optionality by pursuing a multi-site strategy through developing three Canadian SAF-focused renewable fuels production facility sites in parallel. These potential sites are located in British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario. The company expects that all FEED work for each of the three sites will be complete by the end of 2024, positioning Azure to reach a Final Investment Decision (FID) in the first half of 2025 as to enable an in-service date in 2027.
SAF is considered an essential component in reducing emissions in Canadian and global aviation, providing a renewable alternative that can reduce emissions by up to 80% relative to the fossil-based jet fuels that the aviation industry is currently reliant upon. SAF is a certified drop-in replacement fuel for commercial airlines and is already in use today across the globe.
The incremental of supply of SAF from Azure’s 20,000 barrel per day facility would reduce global aviation emissions by approximately 2.6 million tonnes per year, equivalent to removing the emissions from approximately 550,000 cars.
