OXCCU, a company focused on converting carbon dioxide into fuels, chemicals, and plastics, has unveiled its inaugural demonstration plant, OX1, at Oxford Airport. This new facility marks a significant milestone in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production. Leveraging over a decade of research conducted at the University of Oxford, the plant uses an innovative catalyst and reactor design to transform carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) directly into long-chain hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons will be used as SAF, branded OX•EFUEL.

Scheduled to begin operations in September 2024, the OX1 plant will produce about 1 kilogram (approximately 1.2 liters) of liquid fuel per day. This plant is the first in the world to demonstrate the direct conversion of CO2 and H2 into jet fuel range hydrocarbons in a single step, minimizing oxygenated byproducts, thanks to OXCCU's unique catalyst.

OX1 represents a critical step in OXCCU’s strategy to scale up from laboratory experiments to commercial production. The data and insights gained from this demonstration will be instrumental in designing and constructing the larger OX2 plant, which is set to produce 160 kilograms (200 liters) of fuel per day and is planned to be operational at Saltend Chemical Park in Hull by 2026. Following the OX2 plant, OXCCU aims to establish commercial facilities that will supply PtL (Power-to-Liquid) SAF to the UK and other regions.

By streamlining the traditionally multi-step process into a single step, OXCCU has addressed a major hurdle in SAF production. This innovative approach bypasses the energy-intensive and difficult-to-electrify initial step of converting CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO), thereby reducing the overall cost of PtL SAF—a significant factor in its widespread adoption.

The OX1 plant at Oxford Airport not only showcases this groundbreaking technology but also sets a new benchmark in SAF production. Andrew Symes, CEO of OXCCU, expressed enthusiasm about the OX1 plant's launch, noting its proximity to the company's origins. He highlighted that the lab’s single-step CO2-to-fuel process has generated significant excitement for its potential to cut SAF costs. The OX1 plant will provide essential data and fuel for scaling up. The company's mission is to make air travel climate-neutral for future generations, and achieving this goal hinges on developing cost-effective PtL SAF. This launch is a crucial milestone in that effort.

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is an alternative fuel produced from non-petroleum feedstocks, designed to lower emissions from air transportation and support more eco-friendly flying practices. SAF is a biofuel designed for aircraft, offering similar characteristics to conventional jet fuel but with a reduced carbon footprint.