KeyState Energy, CNX Resources Corporation, and Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) have announced plans to establish a hydrogen and SAF production facility at the airport.
The proposed integrated facility has been designed to produce up to 68,000 metric tons of hydrogen or 70 million gallons of SAF each year.
It also has the flexibility to produce both fuels simultaneously at varying volumes to meet specific market demands.
This initiative builds on the alternative fuel strategy announced by CNX and PIT in 2022. Meanwhile, it supports national goals to significantly reduce emissions in hard-to-abate sectors by 2030.
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) said:Because of this exciting new project, Pittsburgh International Airport will become home to one of the largest facilities in the Nation that specialises in the innovative process of using hydrogen gas to produce sustainable aviation fuel. It will help support thousands of new union jobs and provide a look at how cutting-edge innovation in Pennsylvania is helping to build the energy economy of the future.
This 1.5 billion USD project is expected to support 3,000 direct construction jobs. It targets several markets for SAF in aviation, as well as clean hydrogen for trucks, equipment, and power generation, among other applications.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said:We're proving that you don't have to choose between protecting the planet and protecting jobs – and the partnership between KeyState Energy, CNX Resources, and Pittsburgh International Airport will create thousands of jobs and cut fuel costs for airlines, all while reducing pollution and making our communities safer and healthier.
SAF, derived from waste feedstocks, can significantly reduce the lifecycle carbon emissions of air travel. However, due to production and cost barriers, SAF currently accounts for less than one percent of global commercial airline consumption.
To combat these challenges, the facility at PIT aims to produce enough SAF to reduce traditional jet fuel consumption on nearly all flights from the airport at a comparable price to conventional Jet A fuel.
Indeed, mixing just 10 percent SAF with regular jet fuel can power thousands of flights annually while considerably reducing emissions.
