The sustainable fuel that could change the future of flight

Aviation drives global connectivity and economic growth, generating around 4% of global GDP. Yet it also contributes over 2% of global emissions. LanzaJet's sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) offers a direct route to decarbonising flight, cutting lifecycle emissions by around 80% while working seamlessly in existing aircrafts. Daniel Bloch, Director of Strategic Partnerships at LanzaJet explains how scaling this innovation can transform waste into cleaner fuel and accelerate aviation's path to net zero.

Share this:

• New windowShare on Linkedin
• New windowShare on X
• New windowShare on Facebook
• New windowShare on Email

Every generation faces a defining challenge. Ours is the climate crisis. But within this challenge, lies the greatest opportunity of our lifetime - to redesign how we live, move and grow in balance with the planet.

At LanzaJet, we see this as an invitation to reimagine energy systems for a world that works with, not against, our environment. We were founded on a simple but powerful premise: That technology, innovation and collaboration can decarbonise flight, and in doing so, unlock prosperity that is shared, sustained and regenerative.

With that effect, our sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is not just a cleaner drop-in replacement for fossil jet fuel, but represents a rethinking of the fuel economy itself. One that aligns the wellbeing of people, planet and industry.

Steering towards a net zero future for aviation

Aviation connects the world. It supports 65 million jobs globally and underpins nearly 4% of the world's GDP. Yet, aviation also accounts for over 2% of global CO2 emissions, and its climate impact extends beyond that, through non-CO2 effects like contrails, the thin white lines behind high-flying aircraft that may look harmless but contribute to climate warming.

The unfortunate truth is that if aviation were a country, it would rank among the world's top 10 emitters. But we believe this sector that brings humanity closer together, can also help lead in bringing us back in balance with the planet.

LanzaJet's mission is to enable the aviation industry's net-zero transition through scalable, affordable and sustainable fuel solutions. Our Ethanol-to-Jet (EtJ) technology converts low-carbon ethanol into a drop-in fuel, compatible with existing aircraft. That means airlines don't need to build new engines or redesign planes. Instead, they can start cutting emissions immediately by using this sustainable fuel in place of conventional jet fuel - making the transition to cleaner flight faster, cheaper and more scalable.

And the impact is significant. Compared to conventional jet fuel, SAF from LanzaJet can deliver around 80% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over its lifecycle.

To make this tangible, using LanzaJet SAF on a single long-haul flight can save roughly 80 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the annual energy use of 10 average US households. Scaled to an industry level, those savings turn into gigaton-level impacts, comparable to the emissions of entire economies.

This is no longer just about compliance. It's about opportunity creation. A future where flying supports, rather than undermines, climate and community resilience.

The process from waste to fuel

The way we produce and use energy is being rewritten. LanzaJet's approach epitomises the circular economy in action, converting low-value and waste-derived feedstocks such as agricultural and woody residues, municipal solid waste and regenerative crops, into high-value sustainable aviation fuel.

Instead of pulling carbon from underground, we recycle the carbon already in circulation. Each gallon of sustainable aviation fuel displaces a gallon of fossil-derived jet fuel, reducing the need for new crude extraction.

Our technology, originally pioneered at the US Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, was designed to operate at commercial scale, bridging lab innovation and real-world deployment. The process demonstrates that sustainability and profitability can coexist, when we value circularity and resource efficiency. In every geography, this enables the creation of futureproofed, local value chains and shared benefit.

The ecological, biodiversity and social impact of sustainable aviation fuel

Ecological impact:
Each tonne of sustainable aviation fuel used prevents around 3 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Consequently, replacing 10% of total aviation fuel demand with SAF could help avoid emissions equivalent to the annual output of 25 million cars.

Biodiversity:
By prioritising regenerative, waste or residue-based feedstocks, we minimise new land use, prevent deforestation and biodiversity loss. This helps to ensure that every gallon of fuel is traceable, sustainable and capable of delivering measurable co-benefits beyond carbon savings, to the likes of soil health, water and air quality and biodiversity.

Social and economic inclusion:
The transition to sustainable aviation fuel is not just about reducing emissions, it's also about building a wellbeing economy. One that creates green jobs, revitalises rural communities and fosters equitable growth.

At our Freedom Pines Fuels facility in Soperton, Georgia, the world's first commercial Ethanol-to-Jet plant, we've created hundreds of new direct and indirect jobs. The site also serves as a living laboratory, documenting process data, operational learnings and workforce development strategies that will accelerate replication worldwide.

Scaling to meet aviation's 2050 net zero goal

Freedom Pines is just the beginning. LanzaJet's global pipeline spans partnerships across the world, with pre-2030 developments underway across the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Australia and Kazakhstan.

By 2030, we aim to enable more than 1 billion gallons of SAF production capacity annually, a critical milestone toward aviation's 2050 net-zero target. Each new facility will integrate the learnings from Freedom Pines, driving down costs, improving efficiency and shortening the time from concept to commercial operation.

Looking further ahead, the opportunity is profound. Sustainable aviation fuel isn't just a fuel, it's a bridge that connects economic growth with environmental stewardship. In transforming waste into flight, we're proving that climate action has become a business advantage, in addition to a moral imperative.

The climate crisis demands courage, creativity and collective action.

It asks us to look beyond incremental change and toward transformation; to see decarbonisation not as a constraint, but as the Opportunity of a Lifetime.

At LanzaJet, we're answering that call. Pioneering a future where aviation uplifts not just people in the air, but the planet we share below.

2025 is a critical year for the Paris Agreement. Ten years on, we need to rethink how we frame the challenge. And seeing challenges differently is what business and we are all about.

ICC is committed to securing what businesses need at the upcoming climate negotiations, COP30, in Belém, Brazil. Learn more about our Opportunity of a Lifetime climate campaign and how to get involved.

*Disclaimer: The content of this article may not reflect the official views of the International Chamber of Commerce. The opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and other contributors.