Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Avina Clean Hydrogen, and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) jointly announced on December 19 that Avina Clean Hydrogen has selected southwestern Illinois as the location for its $820 million sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project.
This investment will enable Avina Clean Hydrogen to build a state-of-the-art facility in the region, utilizing KBR’s alcohol-to-jet technology to produce up to 120 million gallons of SAF annually. The project will help Illinois meet its clean energy goals while supporting the state’s rapidly growing clean energy economy.
The facility is expected to reduce approximately 25 million metric tons of carbon emissions from the aviation industry annually over its lifecycle, making a significant contribution to global emission reduction targets. Additionally, the project will create at least 150 full-time jobs and approximately 1,000 construction jobs in Illinois, providing a substantial boost to the local economy.
To promote SAF production and sales, Illinois has also introduced tax credit incentives to encourage its use at airports across the state.
This investment represents a significant step forward in Illinois’ efforts to advance sustainable development and clean energy innovation. It highlights the growing trend of the aviation fuel sector moving toward low-carbon, green solutions. With the increasing global demand for emission reductions and clean energy, Avina Clean Hydrogen’s project will undoubtedly play a key role in the aviation industry’s sustainable transformation in the coming years.