Startup Air Company signed a contract with the Pentagon to produce jet fuel from CO2

Thanks to modern technology, the phrase “jet fuel from the air” has turned from fantasy to reality. The American startup Air Company, specializing in the production of clean jet fuel, has just signed a $65-million contract with the Pentagon to produce a fuel based on CO2 extracted from the air.

According to the Air Company, the fuel will be produced by the Fischer-Tropsch chemical reaction, where carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen H2 are converted into various liquid hydrocarbons in the presence of a catalyst. In this case, into fuel alcohols and paraffin. After distillation, these components are separated, which can then be used, for example, in the production of vodka, perfumes and disinfectants.

So far, the company’s ability to produce a new environmentally friendly fuel has not been able to influence global CO2 levels. However, according to Air Company CEO Gregory Constantine, if other jet fuel producers pick up his carbon “initiative”, CO2 emissions can be reduced by 10% in the near future.

The effectiveness of the new fuel has already been confirmed by tests conducted by the US Air Force and the Dutch airline KLM, and three other airlines Boom, JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic have signed multi-year contracts for its supply.

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