LanzaJet plant that turns alcohol into jet fuel given Microsoft funding

LanzaJet has secured $50 million in funding for its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Soperton, Georgia through the Microsoft Innovation Fund that could allow it to turn waste alcohol into jet fuel.

The plant produces SAF and renewable diesel using sustainable ethanol as a feedstock but hopes this new investment will allow the Freedom Pines Fuels plant to start utilising waste ethanol to produce SAF for a global market.

Read more: Johnson Matthey unveils CO2 to SAF technology

The company hopes to push technology forward in difficult-to-decarbonise sectors, such as aviation. While the sector only accounts for around 2.5% of global emissions, it accounts for around 12% of transport emissions. 

Aviation as a whole has done well in becoming more fuel-efficient since at least the 1960s, consuming an average of 80% less fuel when compared to 60 years ago, but to truly start cutting emissions carbon-intensive fuels must be eliminated.

Despite the supply chain disruptions and labour shortages faced throughout 2020 and 2021, construction on the plant is progressing as planned with fabrication currently underway.

Despite looking to be mechanically complete this year, full production will not commence until 2023, with Lanza expecting to be able to produce 10 million tonnes of renewable diesel per year.

"We set a bold ambition to support the White House with a goal of 1 billion gallons of sustainable fuels by 2030", LanzaJet CEO Jimmy Samartzis said in a statement.  "

With Microsoft's support, this first plant significantly expands the production of sustainable fuels in the US, establishes Georgia as a leader in cleantech, and is the foundation for us as the first alcohol-to-jet sustainable fuels producer, and as a blueprint for the commercial plants we're developing globally.

"The partnership with Microsoft is more than just financing – it advances our work towards net zero fuels, it enables lower-cost sustainable fuels into the market, and it supports the urgency to have real, proven technologies scale-up and deploy".

Demand for sustainable fuels continued to rise globally. The US recently pledged to reach net-zero aviation by 2050 and the production of low-carbon fuels in order to meet these goals.

Back in September, the White House announced a target of producing 3 billion gallons of SAF per year by 2030. In response, Lanza revealed its ambitions to have created at least one billion gallons in the same time frame.

Read more: Airbus and Rolls-Royce SAF feasibility study shows early signs of promise

It is worth noting that carbon dioxide is a by-product of burning ethanol, although far less than fossil fuels. Ethanol made from biomass is considered carbon-neutral as when it grows it also absorbs carbon dioxide, potentially offsetting any emissions.

"With this investment, we support LanzaJet in creating new pathways to help companies across industries achieve net-zero carbon through the use of sustainable fuels. Decarbonizing hard to abate industries and technologies will be essential to achieving our carbon reduction goals by 2030. We look forward to working with LanzaJet to accelerate the global development and deployment of high-quality, sustainable fuels technologies", said Brandon Middaugh of the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund.

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