A California-based startup, Circularity Fuels, has completed what it describes as the world’s first end-to-end conversion of raw dairy farm biogas into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The breakthrough pilot used methane-rich biogas generated from cow manure at a dairy farm in California to produce jet fuel that meets commercial aviation standards.
The six-month pilot was conducted at a dairy farm housing more than 5,000 cattle near Madera, California. Instead of allowing methane from manure digesters to be released into the atmosphere or wasted, the company converted the gas directly into aviation fuel.
According to the company, the fuel produced meets ASTM aviation specifications and can be blended with conventional jet fuel. The process uses modular reactors that transform raw biogas into synthesis gas and then into liquid hydrocarbons suitable for aircraft.
Circularity Fuels says its technology could significantly lower the cost of producing sustainable aviation fuel compared with existing methods. The company estimates commercial-scale facilities could be built at a fraction of the cost of many SAF projects currently under development.
The development comes as airlines worldwide face increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions and expand the use of sustainable aviation fuel. Current SAF production accounts for less than 1% of global aviation fuel demand, making new production pathways critical for the industry’s decarbonisation efforts.
Industry experts say agricultural waste-based fuel could help address both methane emissions from livestock operations and the growing need for cleaner aviation fuels, potentially creating a new revenue source for farmers while supporting climate goals.
