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3 October 2018 - As both LanzaTech and Virgin had signaled last month, yesterday (October 2nd), Virgin Atlantic flew a 747-400 from Orlando to London-Gatwick fueled by a blend of alternative jet fuel (AJF) produced by LanzaTech. The AJF portion was produced at LanzaTech’s Freedom Pines demonstration facility in Soperton, GA, using a starting feedstock of ethanol, complying with the definition of ASTM D7566, Annex A5, Alcohol-to-Jet Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (ATJ-SPK). The aviation industry approved ethanol as an acceptable feedstock for conversion to jet fuel on 01Apr’18. The ethanol used for this batch of ATJ-SPK came in part from their initial facilities in China. LanzaTech announced the start-up of their first commercial ethanol-from-waste facility in China on June 8, 2018.
Yesterday, Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, further announced that LanzaTech intends to have a dual approach to working in the low-carbon fuels market: production of Lanzanol (their branded low-carbon ethanol) using fermentation of off-gases from industrial facilities (e.g. associated with metals or petroleum production); and production of SAJF using the ATJ-SPK process with various, sustainable ethanol feedstocks (whether from Lanzanol or other processes). Holmgren announced their intent to pursue development of a commercial-scale ATJ-SPK unit at Freedom Pines, producing over 10 million gallons per year (gpy) of neat Annex A5 blending component by around the end of 2019. A second, larger facility (30 million gpy) is currently being considered for construction in the UK, targeting fuel delivery in 2021. LanzaTech is also evaluating a ethanol production facility in California, and would be open to considering an accompanying ATJ-SPK facility.
CAAFI Executive Director, Steve Csonka, was very pleased to support the press event at Orlando, and discuss the merits, progress, and remaining challenges associated with wide-scale production and use of SAJF with other attendees. CAAFI is also pleased to be continuing to collaborate with LanzaTech regarding supply chain development opportunities for the Freedom Pines facility.
LanzaTech Press Release
Virgin Atlantic Press Release
PNNL Press Release
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