However, the future of jet fuel is uncertain as the world strives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Commercial aviation accounts for 2.5% of global carbon pollution—a figure expected to grow due to limited alternatives for long-haul flights. But what if jet fuel could be made from carbon dioxide?
Several startups are racing to develop an affordable, efficient method of converting CO₂ into energy-rich hydrocarbons that seamlessly work in aircraft fuel tanks. Replacing cheap fossil fuels remains a significant hurdle, but one startup, Lydian, believes it has found a straightforward solution.
“We’re not trying to reinvent chemistry,” said Joe Rodin, Lydian’s co-founder and CEO. “Instead, we’re focusing on running the process and equipment more cheaply and flexibly.”
Lydian's Game-Changing Approach
Lydian's strategy focuses on two key factors: affordable equipment and leveraging the unique fluctuations of renewable energy prices. Sometimes renewable energy, like solar and wind, becomes extremely cheap. By using an efficient catalyst to convert CO₂ into jet fuel and oxygen, Lydian maximizes the benefit of these low-cost energy windows.
Rodin explained, “By reducing your electricity usage during peak times by just 20–30%, you can cut energy costs by half.”
Although operating equipment part-time might seem inefficient, Lydian has streamlined its reactors to remove complex components that increase manufacturing and material costs. As a result, the company can produce synthetic fuel at prices competitive with biofuels when electricity costs are around 3–4 cents per kilowatt-hour, common in solar and wind farms. Rodin believes that if electricity becomes even cheaper by the end of the decade, Lydian could rival fossil fuels directly.
A Promising Market for E-Fuels
The competitiveness of Lydian’s e-fuel depends on the market. For example, Europe is imposing strict limits on airline emissions, boosting demand for biofuels and e-fuels, even if they are more expensive than conventional jet fuel. Small airports that face high costs for jet fuel delivery could also benefit from installing Lydian reactors to produce fuel locally.
Beyond commercial aviation, Lydian sees opportunities in military applications. The U.S. military is the largest single consumer of fossil fuels globally, with jet fuel comprising a significant share. While domestic bases have stable supply chains, forward bases in conflict zones face costly and dangerous logistics. Between 2003 and 2007, nearly 3,000 U.S. soldiers were killed or injured delivering fuel and water in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“This is an application where the willingness to pay is nearly limitless,” Rodin noted. He envisions Lydian reactors powered by on-site solar, wind, or nuclear energy, producing fuel as needed at military bases. The startup has already secured a DARPA award to further develop its technology.
Scaling Up
Lydian recently completed a pilot plant in North Carolina capable of producing up to 25 gallons of e-fuel per day. While this may not sound like much—considering a Boeing 737-800 burns that amount every 90 seconds—it’s 100 times more than what Lydian produced in the lab and 10,000 times more than when it launched 2.5 years ago.
The company plans to run the pilot plant for several years to collect data while constructing a commercial-scale facility slated for completion by 2027. If Lydian can maintain its progress and the world continues to shift away from fossil fuels, synthetic e-fuels could become the last hydrocarbon standing.
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