Syzygy Plasmonics demonstrates CO2-to-SAF technology

US-based decarbonisation company Syzygy Plasmonics, in collaboration with RTI International, announced that it has successfully achieved a major breakthrough in converting CO2 into clean fuels.

Their pilot project at RTI’s facility in North Carolina demonstrated an all-electric CO2-to-Fuel production pathway that could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of transportation.

“This project showcases our ability to fight climate change by converting harmful greenhouse gases into fuel,” said Trevor Best, CEO, Syzygy.

“Our light-driven reactors produce valuable syngas at a ratio that is ideal for feeding Fischer-Tropsch units to produce SAF. Syzygy syngas can also be used to produce diesel, gasoline, and methanol. At scale, we’re talking about significantly reducing and potentially eliminating the carbon intensity of shipping, trucking, and aviation. This is a major step toward quickly and cost effectively cutting emissions from the heavy-duty transport sector.”

This technology utilises captured carbon dioxide (CO2) and combines it with biogas, landfill gas, or renewable natural gas to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The new technology can convert CO₂ and methane (CH₄), into low-carbon-intensity fuels.

The pilot project was sponsored by Equinor Ventures and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA).

The project marks a significant milestone as it integrates multiple Syzygy reactor cells, paving the way for large-scale production facilities.

The success extends beyond CO2 conversion. Syzygy’s Ammonia e-Cracking technology has also undergone extensive testing, demonstrating its viability.

The company is currently finalising partnerships and locations for a commercial CO2-to-Fuel plant. At commercial scale, a typical Syzygy plant will consume nearly 200,000 tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of taking 45,000 cars off the road.

“The results of this demonstration are encouraging and represent an important milestone in our collaboration with Syzygy,” said Sameer Parvathikar, Ph.D., director of renewable energy and energy storage at RTI. “We are pleased to have played an impactful role in shaping this promising technology.”