Company also received DARPA award to develop prototype technology for defense applications
Lydian, the electric fuels company, announced the successful pilot demonstration of its technology for producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for commercial and defense applications.
The pilot plant, which can produce up to 25 gallons of fuel per day, is located at RTI International in North Carolina. This milestone was achieved within three years of the company's founding and with only a fraction of capital typically associated with SAF demonstrations – a major achievement for both Lydian and the SAF industry.
Lydian's novel process uses captured CO2, water, and renewable electricity to produce a drop-in alternative for today's fossil-based jet fuel, with up to 95% lower emissions.
"In less than three years, we've moved from concept to pilot, which marks a pivotal step towards our long-term goal of decarbonizing aviation," said Joe Rodden, CEO and co-founder of Lydian. "This pilot showcases the viability of our novel technology to produce SAF and our ability to scale towards commercial production in record time."
Lydian's power-to-liquids (PtL) technology is part of a growing evolution within the SAF industry that has seen PtL approaches gain traction due to highly accessible and scalable feedstock (waste CO2 emissions) and minimal land and water usage compared to biofuels. As a result, PtL approaches can achieve the lowest emissions of any SAF.
Lydian's first commercial-scale demonstration plant is expected to be operational in 2027 with a full-scale commercial plant deployment in 2030 capable of 20 million gallons per year. The company is executing at an accelerated pace with a team of top scientists and engineers recruited from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, Anduril, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and top academic labs including Stanford and MIT.
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