How Scientists Turn Air Into Jet Fuel - Revolutionary E-Fuels
Swiss International Air Lines operated the first commercial flight powered by fuel made from atmospheric CO2. This isn't theoretical - it's operational reality. Our deep-dive analysis examines how Direct Air Capture transforms air into aviation fuel: → Technology pathway : From 420 PPM atmospheric CO2 to ASTM D7566 certified jet fuel → Industrial scale : Climeworks Mammoth (36K tons/year) to Occidental STRATOS (500K tons/year) → Commercial readiness : Twelve E-Jet flying with United Airlines and US Air Force → Economic reality : €3/liter production cost vs €0.50 conventional, 20-30 kWh energy per liter Policy frameworks are creating guaranteed demand: EU ReFuelEU mandate: 1.2% e-kerosene by 2030 US incentives: $180/ton CO2 capture + $1.75/gallon fuel credits The fundamental challenge: massive renewable electricity requirements compete with direct electrification priorities. Timeline to commercial viability depends on continued technology improvements, cheap renewable a...