In Illinois, Syntholene Energy has secured a dedicated geothermal energy resource sufficient to deploy what it claims to be the world’s first geothermally-powered synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) plant module. The signing of a binding agreement for up to 20 megawatts of electrical energy (or thermal equivalent) marks a key step toward the company’s goal of delivering clean synthetic fuels at lower cost than fossil fuels, for the first time. Syntholene said it combines geothermal heat and electricity to enable breakthrough energy efficiency for high temperature steam electrolysis, with the mission of overhauling the economics of power-to-fuels technology. With the processes already demonstrated at lab-scale, the energy delivered as a result of the binding agreement will be used to power a commercial-demonstration-scale geothermal-powered synthetic fuel production facility. The first target fuel output is synthetic kerosene, earmarked to fill the growing demand for eSAF clean aviation fuel, the firm added. “This energy agreement represents the seeds of a transformative moment for synthetic fuel cost and scalability.” said Dan Sutton, CEO of Syntholene. “By integrating proven processes with a dedicated geothermal resource, we aim to deliver high-performance, low-cost, and carbon-neutral eSAF that can bankably scale to meet the global demand for clean aviation fuel.”
More on the story.
