US Air Force Could Use First Fossil-Free Jet Fuel Made of CO2 Viable

Urian B., Tech Times 19 October 2021, 11:10 pm

Berkeley, a certain California-based carbon transformation company called Twelve, as well as the Tulsa-based Emerging Fuels Technology have just announced that they are able to produce the very first fossil-free jet fuel made by carbon dioxide through an electrochemical process. The project even received funding coming from the US Air Force.

E-Jet Biofuel for Commercial and Military Aviation

According to Engadget, the new biofuel is reportedly called E-Jet and is designed to be usable for both commercial and military aviation. Biofuels, although good, are known to be extremely expensive as per biofuel-news.

Where a number of processes have been able to prove the ability to yield a whopping 65% of jet fuel from initial stock, ETF notes that its process is able to yield over 80%! ETF has also reportedly signed a licensing agreement along with a Norwegian company known as Nordic Electrofuel, which is also in the business of making fossil-replacement fuels.

Twelve and ETF on Fossil-Free Jet Fuel

Both Twelve and ETF note that fossil-free jet fuel E-Jet is said to be a drop-in replacement for certain petrochemical-based alternatives. It was also noted that no changes are required to the existing plane design or even commercial regulations. Aside from biofuel, Rolls-Royce developed an electric airplane and the goal is to beat 300Mph.

Twelve provides a summary on how E-Jet is made through its website noting that it is made through the company's carbon transformation technology. It is described as a new electrochemical reactor and proprietary catalyst that works by electrifying CO2 and water. This in turn creates synthetic gas or CO + H2, which can then be refined into carbon neutral jet fuel. An Oil Rig resort is being built in Saudi called The Rig but environmental concerns are now putting up red flags.

E-Jet has Over 90% Lower Life Cycle Emissions

E-Jet is reportedly drop-in ready and certified along with the same quality and performance but actually has over 90% lower life cycle emissions. This is due to the company sourcing the carbon in their fuel from the air itself instead of from the ground. It was also noted that because it has some fewer contaminants compared to petroleum-based fuels, it is able to burn cleaner.

In the summer of 2021, the US Air Force even tested and qualified the company's E-Jet product. Both Twelve and ETF reportedly worked in partnership along with the US Air Force's very own Operational Energy office through a joint contract along with AFWEX.

Air Force on E-Jet

AFWERX is a program office at the Air Force Research Laboratory as well as the Small Business Innovation Research or SBIR program. The Air Force's deputy assistant secretary for Operational Energy, Robert Guerrero, gave a statement.

According to Guerrero, one of their main goals with the project is to be able to create a clean jet fuel that is capable of enhancing security and energy independence even without sacrificing operational readiness. It was noted that the successful completion of the project only proves the efficiency as well as environmental responsibility are not really mutually exclusive.

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Written by Urian B.