Facilities
CE+P's first project, Sugar Valley Energy, is comprised of three main production facilities: ethanol, electricity, and biomethane, and when operating, will annually produce:
- 76 million gallons of low-carbon (11 CI) Essential Ethanol (TM)
- Up to 61 million gallons of SAF with the potential for an additional 140 MGY
- 42 MW of exportable baseload green electricity produced from biomass
- 1,432,000 MMBtu of pipeline quality biomethane, in part for transport.
- 28,000 tons of low carbon soil amendment
- 200,000 tons of biogenic CO2
- 200,000 tons of high-value field residue
- 5,000 tons green fly ash
Sugar Valley Energy will be designed and constructed by a consortium of highly experienced engineering and construction firms with leading credentials in the sugarcane-to-ethanol production, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and electricity generation industry.
Additionally, local Imperial Valley farmers will apply three generations of farming expertise and experience to grow sugarcane varieties under an agreement and CE+P's agricultural experts' direction. Local farmers have shown interest in new crops. They are particularly receptive to the opportunity to participate in CE+P's program, which offers a more stable revenue stream than crops with volatile market prices.
The Imperial Valley
With its vast natural resources, California's Imperial Valley has nearly 500,000 acres of some of the world's most productive irrigated farmland. Located in the southeastern corner of California, the Imperial Valley's access to San Diego, Los Angeles and the southwestern United States makes it uniquely positioned to develop into the Renewable Energy Capital of the World.
The Imperial Valley is a stable farming area and has the experienced, dedicated and successful farming entities required to launch the extensive sugarcane production program. CE+P established its agricultural program to grow sugarcane in 2009 in conjunction with a group of experienced Imperial Valley farmers. They are a crucial part of the CE+P Project team and will manage the full range of agricultural operations with oversight from CE+P's global agricultural experts.
By locating its facilities in the Imperial Valley, CE+P will help transform the economic landscape of the region by creating demand for local goods and services, raising farm income, generating tax revenue and creating jobs with salaries that exceed national averages. For the construction of each facility, CE+P expects to bring substantial economic benefits to the Imperial Valley, and the operation of each plant will provide well-paying jobs. CE+P is working closely with its Imperial Valley partners to develop a plan that fosters environmental respect and sustainable opportunity. Working together, CE+P will help make sugarcane the right renewable resource for the Imperial Valley community.
Our First Facility
CE+P selected the Imperial Valley partly because it is near the greater Los Angeles metropolitan transportation center where the fuel will be used, and partly because the Valley has over 450,000 acres of irrigated farmland with near-ideal climate conditions for sugarcane.
Adjacent to the Mesquite Lake Enterprise Zone, the facility will be easily accessible by truck to the southern California and Arizona ethanol markets. The facility is in close proximity to two power lines that are owned and maintained by the Imperial Irrigation District. CE+P will transmit electricity to its power purchaser via an interconnection with one of these power lines.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Sugar Valley Energy aims to help decarbonize aviation by producing
sustainable jet fuel for a more sustainable future. Our state-of-the-art
integrated energy facility could produce up to 61 million gallons of
sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) annually from sugarcane and associated
biomass waste.
As the aviation industry pursues net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, SAF is key to achieving climate goals and reducing the industry's carbon footprint. Our SAF offers 80% lower lifecycle emissions than conventional jet fuel. In January 2023, EPA approved a production pathway using sugarcane ethanol, which will enable Sugar Valley to produce some of the lowest carbon intensity SAF available in California.
We will employ an innovative alcohol-to-jet
conversion process to transform plant-based ethanol into synthetic
paraffinic kerosene (SPK) that meets key specifications for commercial
aviation. This technology was developed and tested by the Department of
Energy's Pacific Northwest Lab. It is approved for blending up to 50%
SAF with conventional jet fuel under ASTM D7566 guidelines.
By leveraging sustainable feedstocks and proven, cutting-edge conversion technology, Sugar Valley Energy aims to help decarbonize commercial and private air travel in California and beyond. Our sustainably-produced SAF will lower emissions from jets in the skies today while offering a renewable solution for future growth.