The Northern Cascades SAF Event Series — What We Accomplished and What Comes Next
From February through April 2026, NWIRC convened the Northern Cascades SAF Event Series — three events hosted at WSU Everett, NWIRC’s Lab-SWIFT in Skagit County, and Bellingham Technical College, featuring expert panels and discussions that built on each other across the series. Each event moved the conversation forward, from market landscape to feedstock supply chain to workforce development.
Three findings were consistent across all three events: the Northern Cascades is already a key player in the emerging SAF economy; the businesses, workers, and communities needed to move the supply chain forward are largely already here; and no single county or company can capture this opportunity alone. What’s missing is the connective tissue — shared intelligence, deliberate coordination, and the relationships that turn existing regional strengths into a functional industry hub.
February 26, 2026 | WSU-Everett, Snohomish County: Economic Overview + Regional Impact
Event 1 established that the SAF market is real and the region’s competitive position is stronger than most attendees expected. Panels covering market demand, production pathways, and feedstock innovation surfaced a consistent message: Alaska Airlines’ SAF purchase agreements, and Boeing’s deep regional presence — alongside its suppliers and the broader aerospace manufacturing base — create both demand signals and a built-in industry constituency for SAF development. The Cascadia Sustainable Aviation Accelerator, Paine Field SAF Repository, multiple operating petroleum refineries, an extensive fuels logistics network spanning pipelines, rail, marine terminals, and deep-water ports, and a skilled technical workforce round out a set of regional assets that most SAF regions simply don’t have. Critically, these aren’t greenfield assets — they are existing infrastructure that a regional SAF industry can build on. Near-term entry points for businesses outside of fuel production itself include engineering services, feedstock development, and quality testing across the supply chain.
March 10, 2026 | IRC Lab – SWIFT, Skagit County: Forest Products + SAF Feedstock
Event 2 moved into the supply chain, focusing on forest products and feedstock through multiple panel discussions. The region’s advantage is feedstock diversity, but the consistent gap between raw resource and fuel producer is preprocessing infrastructure — and that gap is one of the most accessible near-term business opportunities in the supply chain. Panelists also surfaced a clear directive: rural communities and tribal nations closest to the forest resource need to be genuine participants in what gets built, not afterthoughts.
April 9, 2026 | Bellingham Technical College, Whatcom County: SAF Workforce Development
Event 3 closed the series with the workforce question. The answer: the talent is largely already here. Deep regional concentrations in refining, forestry, agriculture, and logistics translate directly to SAF supply chain roles. BTC’s own programs in process technology, instrumentation, and industrial maintenance are producing graduates ready for this industry. What’s needed are deliberate career pathways, stackable credentials, and employer connections — built to reach rural and tribal communities, not just urban centers.
What NWIRC Is Doing Next
NWIRC is launching an action plan with three focus areas to sustain the momentum the series created. The first is sustaining and deepening the cross-county, cross-sector collaboration built through the event series — connecting, innovators, county and local government, and existing businesses across aerospace, refining, forestry, and logistics who need each other, and helping to facilitate the conditions that support partnerships, investments, and commitments across the region. The second is developing an innovator network and workforce pathway — convening a working group to design the right support model, identifying and connecting SAF and biomass innovators not yet in the network, and building the innovator and workforce pipelines in an integrated way. The third is solidifying current and emerging opportunities with untapped or underrepresented communities and areas (such as rural parts of the northwest) to understand The third is building rural and tribal relationships — engaging the communities and tribal nations not yet in the conversation, understanding their priorities and challenges, and laying the foundation for genuine rural participation in the regional supply chain.
Get Involved
The Northern Cascades SAF initiative is moving forward — and we are looking for partners such as innovators, entrepreneurs, small businesses, workforce and economic development across the region to help shape what gets built. There are opportunities that have not even been created or considered yet and we hope for many voices around this table. [pacific NW participation in this growing industry]
If you are an innovator or entrepreneur working on SAF or biomass supply chain challenges, an existing business in aerospace, refining, forestry, or logistics looking to understand how SAF fits your operations, a county or local government i
nterested in coordinating regional SAF and biomass economic development, or a workforce or training institution interested in building career pathways into the emerging supply chain – n, or a rural community or tribal partner who wants a genuine seat at the table — we want to hear from you.
NWIRC’s role is to connect, facilitate, and help the region organize around this opportunity. We’ve started the process and are so thankful to the companies, organizations and people who have started the conversation, many who are recognized below. Now, help us start the next chapter. The assets are here. The momentum is real. Let’s build together.
Thank you to our Sponsors: Amazon, Snohomish County, Everett Silvertips, Washington State University, Port of Bellingham, AmSpec Renewables, Port of Skagit
Thank you to our Partners: Economic Alliance of Snohomish County, Bellingham Technical College, Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County, Workforce Snohomish
