Amazon invests in GranBio to advance SAF production from forestry and construction waste
Amazon invests in GranBio to support the development of a pathway for producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from forestry residues and construction debris.
GranBio’s biomass technology converts waste materials such as leftover branches from forestry operations, crop stalks, and discarded pallets and plywood into lower-carbon fuels, targeting hard-to-abate sectors including aviation. The feedstocks are widely available across the US and typically go unused, often ending up in landfill or contributing to wildfire risk.
The process breaks down woody biomass to release the carbon stored in plant fibre, which is then synthesised into fuel molecules chemically identical to those found in petroleum diesel, gasoline and jet fuel. A by-product of the process generates heat for the facility itself, reducing the need for external energy inputs.
GranBio plans to scale SAF production capacity over the next decade by converting shuttered pulp and paper mills across the US into advanced biorefineries, a strategy the company says could also restore skilled manufacturing jobs in affected regions.
“Working with Amazon on this project brings us closer to proving that sustainable aviation fuel made from forest and construction waste can be a real, scalable solution for decarbonizing aviation,” said Kim Nelson, chief technology officer, GranBio. “Our technology takes materials that would otherwise go unused and transforms them into clean energy, while creating opportunities to revitalize rural communities and improve the health of America’s forests.”
The investment forms part of Amazon’s wider work, under The Climate Pledge, to decarbonise its transportation network on the way to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. The company says lower-carbon fuels remain a critical tool for sectors where electrification is not yet available at scale.
“Aviation needs lower-carbon fuel, and the supply doesn’t exist at scale yet,” said Andreas Marschner, vice president of Worldwide Operations Sustainability, Amazon. “GranBio’s technology has the potential to change that, turning abundant waste materials into drop-in fuels. By investing now, we’re helping demonstrate the demand for solutions that, if they succeed, can become available to the whole industry. That’s how we accelerate this transition. Not alone, but together.”
Amazon said the GranBio investment sits within its broader programme of testing emerging technologies across transportation, buildings and packaging, aimed at building the lower-carbon fuel supply needed to meet its net-zero target.