Crysalis Biosciences to invest $239.5m in AtJ SAF plant in Illinois

Sustainable energy firm Crysalis Biosciences announced an investment of $239.5m to develop an alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Illinois.

The company said it  will repurpose a shuttered ethanol plant in the Metro East region, transforming it into a facility capable of producing between 5,000 and 10,000 barrels per day of low-carbon intensity SAF and SAF feedstock.

The company has already earned their first environmental authorisations under new Illinois Environmental Protection Agency standards. The project is supported by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).

“Crysalis Biosciences is very appreciative of the support of the Governor and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the development of our first of a kind biorefinery,” said Sanket Gandhi, CEO, Crysalis. “Crysalis’ biorefinery is bringing innovative zero-carbon chemistry and technology developed in the lab to the market.”

The investment aligns with the state’s Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) initiative, which offers incentives to companies in the electric vehicle, solar, renewable energy, and energy storage sectors. As part of the agreement, Crysalis will receive REV incentives from DCEO.

“There is no better state equipped for the sustainable fuel industry than Illinois,” said the state’s governor JB Pritzker. “With a $239.5m investment through REV Illinois, Crysalis Biosciences will build a groundbreaking SAF plant right here in our state – advancing our mission to drive economic growth while reducing our carbon footprint. This marks a new era of clean energy production for Illinois, and we’re just getting started.”

Earlier this year, the newly-formed Sustainable Aviation Fuel Financing Alliance (SAFFA) made its first investment in Crysalis Biosciences.