Sustainability In The Air

• How Syzygy Plasmonics is turning biogas into cost-competitive sustainable aviation fuel

  In this episode, we speak with Trevor Best, Co-founder and CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics, who shares how his company’s proprietary photocatalytic technology converts waste biogas into sustainable aviation fuel, and has the potential to reach fossil jet fuel parity. Best discusses:NovaSAF’s unique value proposition: converting biogas from landfills, dairy farms, and wastewater treatment plants into SAF, simultaneously addressing methane emissions whilst decarbonising aviation transport.The technology’s competitive advantage: using light instead of heat which enables the use of raw biogas without extensive cleanup, scaling efficiently at smaller sites, and increasing yield by incorporating CO2 into the fuel rather than separating it out.Strategic targeting of stranded biogas assets that are far from natural gas grids, which helps secure feedstock at low prices $5-6 per MMBtu, making jet fuel parity achievable.How Syzygy is building the world’s first biogas-to-SAF plant in Uruguay, that can produce 400,000 gallons of SAF anually, serving as proof of concept before scaling to 100,000 tons per year by 2030 through clustered developments.The global biogas opportunity: the International Energy Agency estimates reserves could theoretically produce 580 million tons per year of SAF, exceeding total global jet fuel consumption, though 95% remains stranded today.Best also shares his leadership philosophy: the importance of listening over talking, the inevitability of failure in entrepreneurship, and why persistence matters more than avoiding mistakes.If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Dave Kettner, President and General Counsel at Virent, who shares the company’s pivotal role in shaping a sustainable future in aviation. Check it out here. Learn more about the innovators who are navigating the industry’s challenges to make sustainable aviation a reality, in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air: Volume 2’. Click here to learn more.Feel free to reach out via email to [email protected]. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & More:Syzygy PlasmonicsSyzygy Plasmonics begins development of the world's first electrified biogas-to-SAF plant - PR NewswireSyzygy Plasmonics outlines dual-certified, cost effective RFNBO and Bio SAF solution as Europe calls for urgent action on Net-Zero aviation - BioEnergy TimesSyzygy Plasmonics and Velocys partner for sustainable aviation fuel production in Uruguay - ChemAnalyst    

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• How two young women are revolutionising direct air capture with supercapacitor technology

  In this episode, we speak with Silvia Pugliese and Monica Larrazabal, co-founders of Norma and the only all-female founding team among the c.150 direct air capture startups operating today. They share how their breakthrough supercapacitor approach could drastically slash the energy requirements of carbon capture.Pugliese and Larrazabal discuss:How they discovered a way to "cheat" on energy requirements by combining supercapacitor energy storage technology with CO2 capture, creating a hybrid device that recycles energy through each capture cycle.Their modular approach with desk-sized units that can be deployed anywhere, contrasting with competitors' massive industrial facilities requiring hundreds of millions in funding.The company's measured approach to cost projections, deliberately avoiding the over-promising that has plagued the DAC industry, while still targeting dramatic improvements over current $600-1000 per tonne costs.Securing pre-seed funding led by Contrarian VC, known for rigorous DAC due diligence, and landing MilkyWire as their first commercial client despite being in early development stages.Their 2025-2030 roadmap: pilot testing in 2026, first commercial facility by 2029, and targeting megatonne-scale operations by 2030.How airlines could use their CO2 for e-fuel production, with potential applications ranging from direct air capture and storage to point source capture, leveraging the technology's versatility.The founders also discuss the challenges of being female entrepreneurs in a male-dominated deep tech sector, their base in central Paris near the Marie Curie museum, and their vision of normalising female-led climate tech companies by 2035.Larrazabal explains why the DAC industry is in its "innovation decade" similar to renewable energy in the 1960s-70s, and why they believe they've found the "solar PV moment" for carbon capture.Learn more about the innovators who are navigating the industry's challenges to make sustainable aviation a reality, in our new book 'Sustainability in the Air: Volume 2'. Click here to learn more.Feel free to reach out via email to [email protected]. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It's about time.Links & more:NormaContrarian VCMilkyWireHeirloom Carbon (Monica's former employer)Marble - Climate Tech Accelerator (where Norma was incubated)

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• How OMV is pioneering Europe's sustainable aviation fuel transition

  In this episode, we speak with Nina Marczell, Senior Vice President of Industrial Sales & Marketing for Fuels & Feedstock at OMV, who shares how the integrated energy company is leading sustainable aviation fuel development from early production to commercial scale across Europe.Marczell discusses:OMV's early-mover advantage, launching SAF production at their Austrian refinery in 2022 – well ahead of EU mandates – starting with 2,000 tonnes through co-processing and scaling to 4,000 tonnes.Europe's first major standalone SAF facility in Romania, featuring 250,000 tonnes annual capacity for SAF and renewable diesel, uniquely integrated with green hydrogen plants that serve both as feedstock and to decarbonise OMV's own refinery operations.Strategic partnerships including groundbreaking collaboration with Airbus on feedstock acceleration, book-and-claim system development, and joint European market advocacy, plus an innovative SAF certificate programme with Microsoft.Why SAF should be considered a premium product with distinct environmental attributes rather than pursuing cost parity with conventional jet fuel.Critical challenges with EU RefuelEU mandate implementation, particularly the steep jumps from 2% to 6% to 20% SAF requirements.OMV's ambitious target to produce up to 1.5 million tonnes of renewable fuels annually by 2030.If you LOVED this episode, you'll also love the conversation we had with Etosha Cave, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of Twelve. Check it out here. Learn more about the startups, strategists, and sceptics working to close the gap between growth and green ambition in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air: Volume Two’. Click here to learn more.Feel free to reach out via email to [email protected]. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & more:New book: Sustainability in the Air, Vol Two - SimpliFlyingSustainable Aviation Fuel - OMVAustria’s OMV signs deals to supply almost one million tonnes of SAF to Lufthansa Group and Ryanair – GreenAir News OMV adds new processing plant at Schwechat refinery - Oil & Gas Journal OMV Petrom approves renewable fuels plant for Petrobrazi refinery - Oil & Gas JournalAirbus, OMV announce SAF collaboration to reduce carbon - Airport Technology OMV and Microsoft accelerate decarbonization of corporate air travel and its supply chain logistics - OMV 

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• How ZeroAvia is leading aviation’s transition to hydrogen-electric propulsion

  In this episode, we speak with Val Miftakhov, CEO and founder of ZeroAvia, who shares how the clean propulsion systems company is championing hydrogen-electric engines that could transform commercial aviation.Miftakhov discusses:ZeroAvia’s vertical integration strategy for developing in-house fuel cells, power electronics, and motors.The company’s global expansion with Centres of Excellence in Seattle for electric propulsion systems, Kemble for aircraft integration, and the newly announced Glasgow facility for hydrogen fuel cells.Major commercial traction with 3,000 engines ordered worth $10 billion and another 5,000 in the pipeline, representing up to 8% of the global commercial engine market, with customers including American Airlines and backing from Airbus as lead investor.The certification milestone of achieving G1 approval from the FAA for their 600-kilowatt engine, with commercial operations expected to begin in 2027 for 10-20 seat aircraft, followed by larger regional aircraft in the early 2030s.ZeroAvia’s liquid hydrogen developments for longer-range aircraft, including plans to eliminate contrail formation by condensing water vapour at altitude and releasing it as ice below the typical contrail formation zone.Miftakhov also explains why he believes sustainable aviation fuel is ultimately a transition technology, arguing that hydrogen offers superior economics by avoiding the energy-intensive processes required to create synthetic fuels whilst delivering three times better efficiency through fuel cells versus combustion engines.If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Daniel Rosen Jacobson, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Elysian Aircraft, who shares the startup’s unique approach to electric aviation. Check it out here. Learn more about the innovators who are navigating the industry’s challenges to make sustainable aviation a reality, in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air: Volume 2’. Click here to learn more.Feel free to reach out via email to [email protected]. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & more:ZeroAvia ZeroAvia achieves FAA milestone for 600 kW electric aircraft propulsion system certification - Charged EVs  American Airlines signs landmark deal with ZeroAvia for 100 hydrogen-electric engines, ushering in a greener era for regional aviation - Travel And Tour World ZeroAvia secures nine new patents to scale hydrogen fuel cell technology for regional aviation - Hydrogen Fuel News 

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• Why Loganair believes regional airlines will lead aviation's sustainable future

  In this episode, we speak with Luke Farajallah, CEO of Loganair, UK's largest regional airline that operates the world's shortest commercial flight and the only airline globally that lands commercially on a beach.Farajallah discusses:Loganair's unique "fishing in a big pond" approach to sustainable aviation, investing simultaneously in SAF, hybrid-electric aircraft with Heart Aerospace, and hydrogen propulsion with ZeroAvia rather than betting on a single technology.Why regional airlines are better positioned than major carriers to pioneer sustainable aviation, given their shorter routes, smaller aircraft, and wider technology options beyond expensive, imported sustainable aviation fuel.The company's mandatory £1 carbon offset programme included in every ticket, funding local environmental projects across Scotland through their Green Skies initiative, achieving near-zero customer resistance.Strategic partnerships, including equipping Embraer aircraft with 130kg water vapour sensors for the UK Met Office to study contrail environmental impacts, and plans for the world's first hydrogen-powered commercial flight from Orkney.As a leader who transformed Loganair's operational performance from 22nd to 2nd place in European rankings in just 12 months, Farajallah brings a results-driven approach to balancing commercial viability with environmental responsibility whilst serving communities that depend entirely on aviation connectivity.If you LOVED this episode, you'll also love the conversation we had with Sally Davey, CEO of Travelyst. Check it out here. Learn more about the startups, strategists, and sceptics working to close the gap between growth and green ambition in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air: Volume Two’. Click here to learn more.Feel free to reach out via email to [email protected]. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & more:New book: Sustainability in the Air, Vol Two - SimpliFlyingLoganair, ZeroAvia ready 2500 kW electric motor for hydrogen aviation future - ElectrekLoganair aiming to deliver the world’s first commercial hydrogen-fuel aircraft route - Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Loganair partners with Heart Aerospace on hybrid-electric aircraft use - Airport Technology Sustainability In The Air (2 book series) Paperback Edition - Amazon How Travalyst is transforming tourism through data-driven collaboration - SimpliFlying 

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