Carbon transformation company Twelve has produced the first fossil-free jet fuel from CO2 electrolysis in partnership with the US Air Force, demonstrating a scalable, energy-efficient path to the de-fossilisation of global aviation.
This project was supported through funding from the US Air Force and produced fuel globally applicable for both commercial and military aviation.
Global aviation produces 1.2 billion tons of CO2 emissions per year and represents one of the hardest-to-abate sectors.
Twelve’s jet fuel, produced using its carbon transformation technology in partnership with Emerging Fuels Technology, is a fossil-free fuel that offers a drop-in replacement for petrochemical-based alternatives without any changes to existing plane design or commercial regulations.
In 2020, Air Force Operational Energy endorsed Twelve to launch a pilot programme to demonstrate that its proprietary technology could convert CO2 into operationally viable aviation fuel.The project hit a major milestone in August when Twelve successfully produced jet fuel from CO2, proving the process worked and setting up the conditions to create the synthetic carbon-neutral fuel in larger quantities. The first phase of the project is scheduled to conclude in December with a report detailing the process and findings.
“Electrifying planes with batteries has proven unfeasible for at-scale decarbonisation of aviation, necessitating the production of fossil-free jet fuel,” said Twelve co-founder and CEO Nicholas Flanders. “We've essentially electrified the fuel instead through our electrochemical process, and the fuel drops right into existing commercial planes, allowing operators to instantly reduce their carbon footprint without any sacrifice to operating quality. Since you can’t electrify the plane, we’ve electrified the fuel.”
Twelve’s proprietary technology extends beyond fuels, and also transforms CO2 into critical chemicals and materials that are conventionally made from fossil fuels. It can scale to fit any need and offers an energy-efficient alternative to biofuels, which require significant amounts of land and energy to produce. The process is powered by clean low-carbon electricity and is a promising route towards carbon-neutral aviation.
Creating jet fuel from CO2 enables USAF to increase energy independence and reduce risk in fuel logistics without compromising on fuel quality or reliability.
Twelve’s carbon transformation platform could allow deployed units to create fuel on demand, without the need for highly skilled fuel experts on site. USAF sees the opportunity for the technology to provide a supplemental source to petroleum-based fuels to decrease demand in areas that are typically difficult to deliver fuel to.
Twelve worked in partnership with USAF’s Operational Energy office through a joint contract with AFWERX, a programe office at the Air Force Research Laboratory, and SBIR, the Small Business Innovation Research program.
“One of our main goals with this project was to create a clean jet fuel that enhances security and energy independence without sacrificing operational readiness. The successful completion of the project proves that efficiency and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive,” said Roberto Guerrero, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Operational Energy.