LanzaJet, Inc., a pioneering company in next-generation fuel technology, has announced the successful operation and fuel production at its LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels facility in Soperton, Georgia, USA. This marks the world’s first commercial-scale production of jet fuel made from ethanol, as well as the introduction of the first non-oil-based renewable fuel solution compatible with current aircraft.
This milestone represents the culmination of 15 years of research, development, collaboration, investment, and scaling efforts, highlighting a major breakthrough for the aviation sector. It confirms that ethanol can be converted into jet fuel at a commercial scale. With the bio-oil HEFA pathway reaching its limits in terms of available feedstocks, LanzaJet’s innovative Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) technology offers a new frontier for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production, addressing an urgent need in the aviation industry worldwide.
Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet, celebrated the achievement, stating, “Today is a testament to what can be accomplished when innovation, resilience, and teamwork come together to build a new industry, overcome challenges, and drive global growth.” He emphasized that this accomplishment is a significant milestone for LanzaJet, its investors, and the aviation sector at large. “Our story at LanzaJet is one of impact—creating value and fulfilling commitments despite obstacles. We are now positioned to shape the future of the aviation industry in the coming decade.”
LanzaJet’s ATJ technology, one of the most promising advancements in the past decade, provides a scalable solution to reduce aviation emissions. The technology uses widely available ethanol feedstocks, as well as waste-based and recycled carbon sources, offering countries the opportunity to strengthen their agricultural sectors, foster economic growth, and bolster domestic energy security. This breakthrough technology enables nations to manage their own supply chains and fuel production.
The Freedom Pines Fuels plant in Georgia serves as a model for future SAF production, setting the stage for global deployment of LanzaJet’s ATJ technology. The plant is a fully integrated First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) facility, featuring advanced technologies like Technip Energies’ Hummingbird® Ethanol-to-Ethylene solution and Oligomerization developed in partnership with the US Department of Energy and LanzaTech. LanzaJet has invested heavily in engineering, building, and operationalizing these technologies to run the facility as the first commercial-scale production plant of its kind.
LanzaJet’s ATJ technology is versatile, able to work with a variety of sustainable feedstocks such as agricultural residues, energy crops, municipal solid waste, and captured carbon. The process significantly reduces lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional jet fuel. When blended with Jet A-1 fuel, it creates a certified solution that is compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure. LanzaJet is deploying this technology worldwide, including in the US, Australia, Japan, India, the UK, Colombia, the EU, the Middle East, and Kazakhstan.
Located in Treutlen County, Georgia, about 100 miles from Savannah, the Freedom Pines Fuels facility is the result of more than $300 million in investment. The plant employed over 300 people during its construction and continues to provide over 65 jobs in ongoing operations.
LanzaJet’s journey is rooted in a series of industry firsts. The company originated in 2012 as part of LanzaTech, pioneering ethanol-to-SAF technology in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. This early work led to the development of lab, pilot, and demo-scale plants, the production of on-spec fuels, and the approval of the ethanol-to-SAF pathway by ASTM in 2016. The technology then saw its first commercial flights with Virgin Atlantic in 2018 and All Nippon Airways in 2019.
