American Made: Montana company bets on sustainable aviation fuel

Alex CaprarielloWed, June 17, 2026 at 10:09 PM UTC

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(NewsNation) — Many say sustainable aviation fuel is the future of flight. One company is doubling down on that future, harnessing the power of the American heartland to create renewable fuel for flights across the globe.

Jim Simon is the senior vice president of operations and transformation for Montana Renewables. He said domestically created fuel is more important than ever to modern aviation.

"This is all U.S.-based feedstocks going to U.S.-based air travel," Simon said. "There's nothing about what we're doing here that leaves the country."

Jim Simon, senior vice president of operations and transformation at Montana Renewables, speaks during an interview at a company facility. (NewsNation)

The process, while chemically complex, is conceptually simple. Biofuels like beef tallow and seed oil are gathered from the farm, transported via railroad, mixed in the refinery and tested in a laboratory before being taken to the skies.

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Those railroad cars carrying the key ingredients hold the keys to eco-friendly energy independence during times of global war and market instability. Simon said that although they'd prefer no chaos in the markets, they'd like to avoid the negative impact should it arise.

While the federal government is pushing for progress, demanding that refiners and importers blend more renewable fuel into America's fuel supply every year, private companies like American Airlines and Google have announced investments that promise to unlock approximately 35 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel over the next three years.

That number, however, represents merely a fraction of the fuel used by commercial jets daily. At around 1.7 million barrels per day, traditional jet fuel use dwarfs the 30,000 barrels of sustainable aviation fuel produced daily, roughly the amount needed to supply a half hour of air traffic. It's a rate that has the airline industry concerned that sustainable fuel production won't keep pace.

In the meantime, Montana Renewables is continuing to pursue sustainable aviation, honing its craft and converting what's left of the material used to make a burger and fries into the "American-made" fuel that can take Americans from sea to shining sea.

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