Infinium, a major producer of synthetic fuels, has broken ground on Project Roadrunner in Reeves County, near Pecos, Texas. Once operational in 2027, the facility is expected to become the world’s largest producer of eFuels, generating 23,000 tonnes—or 7.6 million gallons—of sustainable aviation fuel and other low-emission fuel products annually, reports Mrt.
These fuels will be supplied to major customers, including American Airlines and IAG, the parent company of British Airways and Aer Lingus.
eFuels are synthetic alternatives to fossil fuels, made from waste carbon dioxide and renewable energy. They are chemically identical to traditional fuels but with a lower carbon footprint. “We use waste CO2 as a key input and have a strong partnership with Kinetik Holdings to make that happen,” said Robert Schuetzle, CEO of Infinium.
In addition to supporting clean fuel production, Project Roadrunner offers new revenue opportunities for oil and gas partners by transforming CO2 into a valuable product.
Schuetzle noted that Infinium has experience building in West Texas, calling the region’s labor force strong and local officials supportive. The project is expected to create a significant number of construction and permanent jobs in areas like operations, maintenance, logistics, and field management.
The plant will be powered by 150 megawatts of new wind energy secured through a long-term agreement with a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources. It will also be connected to the local power grid, allowing for continuous 24/7 operations.
Infinium has selected Electric Hydrogen to supply the project’s 100-megawatt hydrogen production system, called HYPRPlant. The system will generate green hydrogen to help make synthetic aviation fuel and support future hydrogen-related projects.
“This is our first project with Infinium and an important step forward for our operations in Texas,” said Raffi Garabedian, CEO of Electric Hydrogen. “We build our equipment in Massachusetts and assemble it in Texas, which keeps us close to projects like Roadrunner while supporting local industries.”
He added that the contract demonstrates the growing ability of U.S. technology to produce clean hydrogen at an industrial scale for sectors such as aviation, trucking, and shipping.
Most of the fuel produced at the new facility will be exported, according to Schuetzle. “We see this following a similar path to liquefied natural gas—an abundant U.S. energy resource that powers both domestic needs and global demand,” he said.
Along with aviation fuel, Project Roadrunner will produce eDiesel, which is used by companies like Amazon in long-haul trucking, and eNaphtha, which will be sent to Europe for use in plastics manufacturing.
This is Infinium’s second facility in Texas. In 2023, the company became the first in the world to produce and ship commercial volumes of eFuels from its Corpus Christi-based Project Pathfinder. Schuetzle said the company is considering additional Texas sites for future expansion.
