I don’t usually write about air, but in this case I have two connections.
First, Aether Fuels is a new Chicago-based concern with an innovative approach to the Fischer-Tropsch process for making fuel from waste. When I was in Chicago, I participated in some of the planning for the South Chicago airport, which sparked my interest in airport development. If you’ve flown through O’Hare, you have some idea of how jammed-up air transport is in Chicago, and why new venues are needed, especially for freight.
Second, I’m interested in new technologies for sustainable fuels. What caught my eye here is the point at the end. The process can also be used to produce sustainable marine fuel! That really caught my eye.
The company is called Aether; they are well-funded by big corporate names. The article discusses a bit about the process, which is being developed now. A pilot plant is in the offing, maybe in the next couple of years.
One of the advantages of their process is its ability to use carbon-capture output as a feedstock. One of the big problems of carbon capture technologies is what to do with the output. Bury it? Crazy and costly! Another use for CO2 would be useful.
The article mentions that while the company’s goal is SAF fuel for airplanes now, the process could also make fuel for maritime transport. That’s a huge market, with a present-day need. There’s a risk that air carriers might have to compete for sustainable fuels with the maritime transport industry.
We can use all the sustainable fuels production we can get. It’s nice to see a startup that’s not “AI” or software, that can acquire funds to move a worthwhile effort ahead.
Dirk Singer Jun 01, 2025
https://open.substack.com/pub/simpliflying/p/how-aether-fuels-saf-conor-madigan
Supply Chain and Logistics 