Lydian Announces Successful Demonstration of Novel Sustainable Aviation Fuel Technology

Company also received DARPA award to develop prototype technology for defense applications

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lydian, the electric fuels company, today 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.

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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 is revolutionizing the PtL category of sustainable aviation fuel by addressing one of its biggest challenges—the significant amount of electricity required to power the technology. Lydian's modular reactors are designed to operate variably to follow the availability of low-cost renewable power. This flexibility not only reduces operating costs but also avoids direct competition for clean power and reduces strain on the grid—an increasingly critical advantage as grid infrastructure struggles to keep pace with growing demand from high-energy sectors like computing and manufacturing.

"Since day one, we've approached our system design holistically, ensuring no compromises on cost or efficiency," said Dr. Branko Zugic, CTO and co-founder of Lydian. "Our advancements in process intensification and conversion efficiency have led to numerous breakthroughs that enable hard-to-replicate cost and logistical benefits for both commercial and defense use cases."

In addition to its pilot success, Lydian received a DARPA award through the "Expeditionary Carbon Utilization for Energy Resilience and Stabilization" (ExCURSion) program, which seeks to develop portable, closed, rechargeable expeditionary power systems that store energy as carbon-based fuel. The award will support Lydian's research and development efforts to produce a prototype that addresses the logistical burden of supplying fuel in remote locations.

Transporting fuel remains a critical challenge for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), which consumes over 70 million barrels of fuel annually to support global operations and training, according to the 2023 Annual Energy Performance, Resilience, and Readiness Report. Localized, resilient fuel production technologies like Lydian's could enable fuel production closer to the point of use, reducing the risks and costs associated with transporting fuel to remote locations while enhancing energy security.

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.

About Lydian

Lydian, the electric fuels company, is on a mission to decarbonize the aviation industry. Founded in 2021, Lydian is developing novel technology to produce sustainable fuels and chemicals from CO₂, water, and renewable electricity, instead of fossil fuels. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.lydianlabs.com.

SOURCE Lydian