A World-First in Aviation Fuel: OXCCU Unveils Hydrogen-to-Synthetic Fuel Demonstration Plant at UK Airport

In a significant milestone for sustainable aviation, UK-based start-up OXCCU has announced the launch of a world-first synthetic aviation fuel demonstration plant at Oxford Airport. OXCCU, an Oxford University spin-off, has garnered attention for its innovative approach to producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and has attracted substantial investment from major players in the energy and aviation sectors.

The Revolutionary OX1 Plant

The OX1 plant at Oxford Airport is set to begin operations next month and will showcase a groundbreaking one-step process that directly converts carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) into long-chain hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons are essential components of jet fuel, and OXCCU’s process is particularly notable for its efficiency and scalability.

What sets OXCCU’s technology apart is its novel iron-based catalyst and reactor design. Traditional methods of producing hydrocarbons typically require multiple steps, including the conversion of CO2 into carbon monoxide (CO) before it can be transformed into useful fuels. OXCCU’s approach eliminates this intermediate step, making the process more energy-efficient and reducing overall costs. The company claims that this innovation could lead to a significant reduction in the cost of SAF, a critical factor in making sustainable aviation more accessible.

The OX1 plant will produce approximately 1 kilogram (about 1.2 litres) of synthetic aviation fuel per day, which OXCCU has branded as OX•EFUEL. While this may seem like a modest output, the primary goal of OX1 is to demonstrate the viability of the technology and gather essential data for scaling up production.

Looking Ahead: The OX2 Plant and Commercial Scale-Up

The OX1 plant is just the beginning of OXCCU’s ambitious plans. The company has already announced plans for a larger facility, the OX2 plant, which is slated to be built in Hull, northeast England. Scheduled to begin operations in 2026, the OX2 plant will significantly increase production capacity, with a daily output of 160 kilograms (200 litres) of synthetic aviation fuel.

Beyond OX2, OXCCU envisions a future where commercial-scale plants produce large quantities of power-to-liquid (PtL) fuel, a type of synthetic fuel generated using electricity to produce green hydrogen via water electrolysis. This PtL fuel holds promise as a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil-based jet fuels, offering a pathway to reducing the aviation industry’s carbon footprint.

However, some questions remain unanswered. Notably, OXCCU has not yet disclosed whether the hydrogen used in the OX1 plant will be green hydrogen — produced using renewable energy sources — or how it will be sourced. The sustainability of the hydrogen supply is crucial to ensuring that the overall process contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Potential Impact on Sustainable Aviation

The development of cost-effective and scalable SAF is critical to the aviation industry’s efforts to achieve net-zero emissions. OXCCU’s CEO, Andrew Symes, emphasised the importance of the OX1 plant in advancing this goal. “The fuel we’ve already made in a single step from CO2 and H2 in the lab has created great excitement with its potential to massively reduce the cost of SAF, but the scale-up is key, and this plant will generate the data and litres of fuel we need,” Symes stated. “Our mission is to enable future generations to fly without a climate impact, and to do that we need cost-effective PtL SAF. This launch marks a key step in achieving that goal.”

The significance of OXCCU’s technology lies not only in its potential to lower the cost of SAF but also in its ability to simplify the production process. By reducing the number of steps required to convert CO2 and H2 into usable hydrocarbons, OXCCU’s process could make SAF production more efficient and less resource-intensive, further driving down costs and making sustainable aviation more viable on a large scale.

Investment and Future Prospects

OXCCU’s innovative approach has attracted significant investment, securing £18 million ($23 million) in Series A funding in June of the previous year. Investors include industry giants such as Saudi Aramco, United Airlines, Trafigura, Italian oil firm Eni, and several venture capital firms. This backing highlights the growing interest and confidence in OXCCU’s potential to revolutionise the aviation fuel market.

While the expected cost of OX•EFUEL has not yet been disclosed, the company’s focus on cost-effectiveness suggests that it could play a key role in making sustainable aviation a reality. As OXCCU continues to develop and scale its technology, the impact on the aviation industry could be profound, paving the way for a future where flying is not only convenient but also environmentally responsible.