Syzygy Plasmonics unveils breakthrough tech to scale SAF
Image of Estancia Del Lago Site, courtesy EDL. This is the location where Syzygy will locate its project that has licensed Velocys technology.
Houston-based Syzygy Plasmonics said it has developed with what it claims is a game-changing solution to tackle the challenge of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) shortage.
The company today released a white paper titled “Solving the SAF Trilemma: Cost, Feedstock, and Financeability,” which outlines its NovaSAF platform designed to make SAF both economically viable and scalable.
“NovaSAF is more than a product – it’s a policy enabler,” said Trevor Best, CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics. “This white paper shows how technology innovation can help regulators and industry meet climate goals while unlocking new economic opportunities.”
The company’s approach centers on converting biogenic methane and CO2 into ASTM-certified SAF using what Syzygy calls “light-activated catalysts” powered by renewable electricity. This process, the company claims, also significantly reduces equipment costs.
Perhaps the most important claim of the company is that its NovaSAF pathway can produce fuel at costs at or below current Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) technology, with the potential to achieve price parity with Jet-A.
The technology is built around Syzygy’s proprietary Rigel reactor, which eliminates the need to combust fossil fuels by operating on renewable electricity. This reactor is then integrated with Fischer-Tropsch technology to convert biogas into liquid fuel, which is subsequently hydrotreated to produce SAF.
Syzygy said that a key advantage of the NovaSAF platform is its ability to satisfy multiple regulatory frameworks simultaneously. The fuel meets both SAF and eSAF (electrofuels) requirements under the European Union’s RED III directive and the UK’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO).
This dual compliance allows flexibility for the NovaSAF platform with which it can produce fuel with two separate qualifications: one portion qualifies as an advanced biofuel, while the remaining portion qualifies as a Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO).
This flexibility enables access to premium SAF markets and enhances long-term investment viability.
The company is in the advanced stages of developing its first commercial project, NovaSAF 1, in Uruguay. This facility will serve as a pilot for the company’s technology converting manure from into 400,000 gallons (1,100 tons) of SAF per annum.
Syzygy said the decision to host the site in Uruguay was due to renewable credentials of the country’s national grid, which derives over 90% of its electricity from renewable sources. The project serves as a proof of concept for the platform’s scalability.
One of the key innovations highlighted in the white paper is the modular aspect of the NovaSAF system. The design enables distributed, site-adaptable production, potentially allowing for smaller-scale facilities to be deployed closer to feedstock sources rather than requiring massive centralised plants.
This modular approach could be valuable for addressing the geographic distribution challenges that have hampered other SAF production methods, making it easier to scale production across diverse markets and regulatory environments.
Syzygy’s strategy focuses on scaling SAF production through what the company describes as “repeatable project execution and technology licensing.”
The white paper can be read here.