EVERETT — A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation fuel at Paine Field is getting a $10 million boost for sure, and perhaps $10 million more, if Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signs funding bills passed by the state Legislature into law.
In March 2023, officials announced plans for the center to be established at Paine Field by 2027. The purpose of the joint venture between Snohomish County and Washington State University would be to collect sustainable aviation fuel samples from around the world and then test them for safety, performance and chemical similarity to conventional jet fuel.
Sen. Marko Liias, D-Everett, helped secure an initial $6.5 state Department of Transportation grant.
Now the center has secured a $10 million anonymous gift, and an additional $10 million legislative appropriation was approved by state lawmakers in a funding package that has yet to be signed by Ferguson, said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers.
“The new funding will help make the center a reality,” he said.
The new $10 million appropriation is included in the $78 billion two-year budget approved by the state Legislature. Ferguson is expected to approve the budget but has the power to make line-item vetoes from the budget.
Mike Fong, executive director for economic development, said the county executive and team met with the governor a month ago, and Ferguson seemed very excited about the center.
“I’m confident he will approve it,” Fong said.
Brionna Aho, a spokesperson for Ferguson, said the governor is currently reviewing the budget with his team.
She did not offer any specifics on the governor’s decision but said he has until Tuesday to make a decision. That is the same day that Somers will speak at the Economic Alliance Snohomish County annual forecast at the Boeing Museum of Flight at Paine Field.
Fong said an 8-acre site has been chosen at Paine Field for the facility and that a multi-million contract is expected to be signed in the next several months with a firm for facility design work.
The tentative schedule is for design work to be completed by the end of 2026 with construction starting in 2027, according to Fong, who said the facility could take 18 months to complete. He said at least another $36 million would be needed to build the facility.
Sustainable aviation fuels are developed without fossil fuels, using plants, sewage and/or food.
The commercial aviation industry has pledged to transition to 100% use of sustainable fuel by 2050.
But it has a long way to meet that goal. Only several percent of the aviation fuel used today is sustainable, said Joshua Heyne, director of the Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Lab at Washington State University in Pullman.
He said a big issue is making the fuel more affordable. It can cost between two and five times the cost of conventional fuel.
The idea of the facility is to create job growth in Snohomish County, Fong said.
“It could be a catalyst for making this area not just a research and development center for sustainable aviation fuel but for actual production here as well,” he said.
Randy Diamond: 425-339-3097; randy.diamond@heraldnet.com.
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