Clearing the Air
Ep. 01 — Solving Complex Problems
Anatomy of Conventional Jet Fuel Versus AIRMADE<sup>®</sup> SAF
Education
Anatomy of Conventional Jet Fuel Versus AIRMADE® SAF
Conventional jet fuel is predominantly made from crude oil designed to power jet engines, which are used on both commercial and military aircraft. The refining process of crude oil starts with drilling and crude oil extraction, followed by refining, which involves separating various commercially valuable components based on their boiling points, with jet fuel being one of the outputs.
Jet fuel's hydrocarbon composition (responsible for the energy that propels aircraft) makes it a crucial element for air travel and transportation overall. However, when combusted, traditional jet fuel releases a considerable amount of fossil-based carbon dioxide (CO2), increasing the concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere and thus contributing to climate change.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), unlike conventional jet fuel derived from crude oil, is produced from various sustainable sources that provide carbon for the fuel. When SAF is combusted, the CO2 that is released comes from renewable sources such as biomass or recycled biogenic CO2, meaning that new CO2 is not added to the atmosphere. This leads to net GHG emissions reductions from the aviation sector. Ultimately, there is a need for more sustainable alternatives as the world is working to meet the 1.5-degree climate target, and that’s where our fuel, AIRMADE® SAF, comes in. This cleaner-burning fuel maintains the chemical properties of conventional jet fuel but is created from sustainable feedstocks that remove or do not increase the CO2 in the atmosphere—biogenic CO2 and green hydrogen—through an innovative process. Created using AIRMADE™ Technology, CO2 and H2 are fed into our Carbon Conversion Reactor, where these two inputs interact with our proprietary catalyst. The catalyst facilitates a chemical reaction that yields a reactor liquid composed of alcohols, paraffins and water. Paraffins are then separated and used to create our SAF which is significantly less carbon-intensive compared to conventional jet fuel and can play a key role in reducing the aviation industry's global GHG emissions.
AIRMADE® SAF vs Conventional Jet Fuel
AIRMADE™ Technology is a carbon conversion platform designed to produce AIRMADE® SAF, which broadly can be described as e-fuel. However, our pathway is distinct from the Fischer-Tropsch process that is more commonly used to manufacture e-fuels. Our method involves fewer steps in the production process thanks to the direct hydrogenation of CO₂, which is more efficient and requires lower energy inputs. AIRMADE® SAF is composed of paraffins and aromatics, allowing the production of fully formulated (aka 100% drop-in) fuel. This means our SAF can be used in existing aircraft without the need for blending with conventional jet fuel (however, regulatory blending requirements currently exist for all SAFs).
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) offers a more eco-friendly option than conventional jet fuel thanks to more sustainable feedstocks and innovative production methods. A few examples of different types of SAF are:
HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids)
This is the most mature SAF production pathway, which involves converting lipids such as waste cooking oil, animal fats, and plant oils into hydrocarbons similar to jet fuel.
ATJ (Alcohol-to-Jet)
A method for SAF production where alcohols such as ethanol, usually derived from biomass like sugarcane or corn, are converted into jet fuel.
MSW-to-Jet (Municipal Solid Waste)
This pathway converts municipal solid waste into syngas via gasification (using the Fischer-Tropsch process), which is then converted to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
e-SAF
E-SAF is different from the pathways described above as it does not rely on direct organic feedstocks; instead, it uses waste carbon dioxide (CO2) and clean hydrogen as feedstocks, which enables it to achieve deep carbon intensity reductions. E-SAF is made by using renewable electricity and water to produce green hydrogen, which is then reacted with carbon dioxide to produce a SAF with a significantly lower carbon footprint than conventional jet fuel.
AIRMADE® SAF is compositionally identical to conventional jet fuel that consists of paraffins and aromatics, which is why it’s a fully formulated, 100% drop-in alternative that does not require blending with fossil jet fuel to work in existing engines. Our technology is different from the more common e-SAF pathway (most e-SAF pathways use the FT process mentioned above) as we do direct conversion of CO2 to hydrocarbons, which has higher efficiency and thus requires lower energy inputs.
So, it's nothing like jet fuel?
Although drop-in SAF has an identical chemical composition, the production process of conventional jet fuel is much more carbon-intensive largely due to the feedstocks it relies on. Conventional jet fuel production begins with drilling and extraction of crude oil, which is a mix of hydrocarbons and other organic materials formed from ancient biomass. This crude is then transported to refineries, where it undergoes fractional distillation. The oil is heated in a distillation column, causing various components to vaporize and separate based on their boiling points.
The fraction that becomes jet fuel is a type of kerosene further refined to remove impurities and ensure it meets the strict specifications for aviation fuel. This includes adjusting the freezing point and reducing sulfur content, among other properties. The entire lifecycle, from extraction to processing and combustion in aircraft engines, releases a substantial amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Jet fuel carbon intensity of 89 gCO2e/MJ is a commonly used baseline for assessing the carbon intensity of SAFs. When conventional jet fuel is combusted, the CO2 that is emitted is new CO2 that is added to the atmosphere, which contributes to climate change.
This highlights the environmental impact of conventional jet fuel and underscores the importance of transitioning to more sustainable alternatives like SAF.
Key Benefits of AIRMADE® SAF
01
Carbon-Neutral Fuel: AIRMADE® SAF can offer a carbon-neutral option to the aviation sector, significantly reducing net GHG emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.
02
Emission Benefits: AIRMADE® SAF burns cleaner and has non-CO2 emission benefits, contributing to cleaner air.
03
Abundant Feedstocks: AIRMADE® SAF utilizes abundant feedstocks, namely biogenic CO2 and renewable electricity, ensuring a sustainable and consistent supply chain.
04
100% Drop-In Compatibility: AIRMADE® SAF is designed to be fully compatible with existing aviation fuel infrastructure, as demonstrated by the US Air Force flight in July 2022.
05
Our process is modular and has the potential to be deployed at a smaller scale than competing sustainable aviation fuel production technologies.
06
Energy and Fuel Security: AIRMADE® SAF aims to support national energy independence and reduce reliance on imported fuels.
07
Promoting Environmental Justice and Regional Growth: AIRMADE® SAF can contribute to equitable environmental benefits and stimulate local economic development due to more flexible deployment.
At AIR COMPANY, our commitment aligns with a global mission to create a sustainable, circular economy and energy system. By developing a carbon-neutral, fully-formulated jet fuel like AIRMADE® SAF, we’re taking concrete steps to reduce aviation's carbon footprint, enhance domestic fuel security, and support regional economic growth.
We’re not only about developing innovative technology and products; we’re on a mission to reduce global GHG emissions through scalable, modular technology solutions. We exist to reduce our world’s reliance on fossil fuels and facilitate energy independence. Every day, we work hard to scale the AIRMADE® SAF technology to bring benefits to society as soon as possible.
