US SAF producer XCF Global aims for fast growth as it goes public

XCF Global has listed on the Nasdaq to become the first publicly traded pure play sustainable aviation fuel producer in the United States. The company was formed last year from the business combination of XCF Global Capital and special purpose acquisition company Focus Impact BH3 Acquisition with the aim of rapidly expanding the market for SAF. XCF took over the New Rise Reno Facility in Nevada, converting it from renewable diesel to HEFA SAF production in 2024. The facility, which has an expected production capacity of 38 million gallons per year (MGY) of neat SAF, commenced its first deliveries of neat SAF to Phillips 66 in March. Strategically located to serve West Coast airports like LAX and SFO, the company is building a second adjacent 40 MGY production facility that is due to start production in 2027. Additional plants are planned to come online in 2028 in Florida and North Carolina to serve the Southeast and East Coast regions of the US, and provide access to deepwater ports that facilitate export.

Commenting on the Nasdaq listing (ticker symbol SAFX), XCF Global CEO Mihir Dange said: “We’re proud to begin our journey as a public company and to raise awareness to the growing need for low-carbon aviation solutions. The public listing enables us to accelerate development of our SAF platform and expand production to meet the aviation sector’s growing demand for low-carbon fuel solutions. Our public debut aligns with a new era of growing demand and transformative opportunity – a mission that has never been more urgent.”

Added Carl Stanton, CEO of Focus Impact BH3: “With strong leadership and a clear path to growth, we believe XCF is well-positioned to deliver meaningful impact in both the renewable energy sector and the capital markets.”

When the two Reno facilities and the additional plants in Ft. Myers, Florida and Wilson, North Carolina are fully operational, XCF expects to have the ability to produce 159 million gallons of neat SAF annually within the next five years. The New Rise Reno facility has a pending utility patent related to the modular design, layout and configuration that requires less area to build – a 10-acre footprint – and can be efficiently replicated, allowing for rapid expansion, says the company. XCF uses distilled corn oil, a waste product, as feedstock.

The company believes small modular projects are more attractive to financing because they require lower initial investments, can be developed incrementally and are more agile in response to market conditions. It is targeting rapid deployment across the US and globally.

XCF is initially looking at the European market because of its strong SAF mandates and, said Dange, favourable price premiums. The company is also considering longer term entry into Asia and the Middle East, where demand is expected to rise.

XCF has a long-term supply and offtake agreement with Phillips 66. “Our unit economics work because we’ve designed our business around flexible feedstocks and offtake certainty,” said Dange.

Photo: XCF’s New Rise Reno facility

Christopher Surgenor

Editor

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