Landmark legislation like the CHIPS Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Inflation Reduction Act have allowed the United States to remain a global leader in manufacturing. With a new administration entering the White House this January, we have an opportunity to build on our successes and continue to put American energy first. To maintain our momentum and protect the United States’ leading position in a fiercely competitive global landscape, we must secure innovative and affordable energy projects that support American workers and the economy.

A recently approved sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) manufacturing facility in Lake Preston, South Dakota does exactly that. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office approved a $1.46 billion commitment to help finance the construction of Gevo’s Net-Zero 1 (NZ1) SAF plant. The announcement is historic: it marks the first-ever alcohol-to-jet project to receive a DOE commitment.

Given the robust slate of economic and agricultural opportunities NZ1 will enable, it is crucial to build upon this momentum and continue to scale SAF production.For starters, new energy production opportunities catalyze important economic growth. According to a recent report from Charles Rivers Associates, NZ1 is projected to create 1,226 jobs and $184 million in economic impact during its construction phase. What’s more, the plant itself will create 100 permanent positions, in addition to 736 local indirect jobs across the agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, housing, and utility industries.