CO2 to fuel firm OXCCU in demo plant launch

OXCCU is to launch a demonstration plant at Oxford Airport.

The OX1 plant represents a significant advancement in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production.

Through its novel catalyst and reactor design, the subject of over a decade of research at the University of Oxford, the plant will convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) directly to long-chain hydrocarbons with high conversion and selectivity for use as SAF, named OX•EFUEL™.

Thw facility, based at London Oxford Airport and designed and operated by OXCCU, will produce 1 kg (~1.2 litres) of liquid fuel per day and will start operations in September 2024.

The plant will be the world’s first demonstration of the direct conversion of CO2 and H2 to jet fuel range hydrocarbons in a single step with minimal oxygenated byproducts using OXCCU’s novel catalyst.

The plant is part of OXCCU’s strategic scale up journey as the first OXCCU plant out of the lab.

It will provide the data key to the design, build and operations of the 160 kg (200 litres) per day OX2 plant, previously announced, which will operate at Saltend Chemical Park Hull in 2026.

Commercial plants supplying the UK and elsewhere with PtL SAF will then follow.

Unlike other firms working on Power-to-Liquid (PtL) fuels, OXCCU has reduced a traditionally multi-step process to a single step, avoiding the need to first convert CO2 to CO – a difficult to electrify and energy intensive first step.

Andrew Symes, CEO of OXCCU, said: “We’re beyond excited to launch the OX1 plant, located close to where OXCCU was born. The fuel we’ve already made in a single step from CO2 in the lab has created great excitement with its potential to massively reduce the cost of SAF, but the scale up is key, and this plant will generate the data and litres of fuel we need. Our mission is to enable future generations to fly without a climate impact, and to do that we need cost-effective PtL SAF. This launch marks a key step in achieving that goal.”

To date, OXCCU has received investment from leading industry partners, including IP group (Kiko), Clean Energy Ventures, United Airlines, Eni, Aramco Ventures and Trafigura.

OXCCU also secured Series A funding in 2023, and earlier this year, they won a £2.8 million grant through the UK-government backed Advanced Fuels Fund, demonstrating their position as a leading firm creating sustainable, economically efficient, and scalable jet fuel.