About This Project

Sustainable Aviation Fuel offers a viable path to decarbonize long-haul flights. Fischer-Tropsch and Ethanol-to-Jet, two proposed routes to make SAF, are energetically- and carbon-inefficient, respectively. Instead, we propose a SAF production pathway based on a cell-free biomanufacturing system. Our process utilizes only one enzyme with no cofactors, allowing rapid scale-up for economic, net-zero SAF production.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

This project aims to decarbonize the hard-to-abate aviation sector by making Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Batteries and hydrogen fuel cells used for ground transport have 1/10th the energy density of jet fuel and have no clear path to feasibility for long-haul flights. In contrast, SAF is a drop-in replacement for conventional jet fuel and requires almost no infrastructure or engine modifications.
To do this in a truly sustainable fashion, one needs a highly energetically efficient process that is cheap, commodity-level scalable, and decoupled from agriculture.

What is the significance of this project?

Aviation is responsible for 3% of global carbon emissions. The US and all major airlines have announced commitments to >50% SAF by 2050, but no clear path exists for SAF production at scale. This proposal involves merging advanced TRL-9 methods with a high-risk, high-reward biological step to get there fast and efficiently. We opt for a cell-free system driven by a single enzyme, devoid of cofactors, to enhance scalability. Our focus on catalyzing SAF-compatible carbon chains ensures scalability becomes a matter of "when" rather than "how." Similar processes achieved at a commodity scale, like lactase for lactose-free milk or high fructose corn syrup production, emphasize the potential reach of our enzyme, extending well beyond sustainable aviation fuel.

What are the goals of the project?

Our aim is to showcase a novel enzymatic process, enabling the creation of SAF-compatible long carbon chains. Specifically, we seek to catalyze a carbon-carbon bond formation between precursor molecules, sourced directly from CO2 and hydrogen. The initial step involves enzymatically condensing two precursor molecules, a formidable challenge as nature relies on costly cofactors to do this naturally. Our objective is to design an enzyme that is free from co-factors, employing synthetic biology tools for further optimization and advancing toward long carbon chain polymerization.