A Credible and Affordable Route to Meet SAF Mandates, Syzygy Plasmonics Presents White Paper Aimed at Regulators and Offtakers on Unique NovaSAF™ Pathway
HOUSTON, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Syzygy Plasmonics today announced the release of a new white paper, "Solving the SAF Trilemma: Cost, Feedstock, and Financeability," which outlines a novel approach to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. The paper details how Syzygy's NovaSAF™ platform offers a scalable, policy-aligned, and economically viable pathway to decarbonize aviation.
"NovaSAF™ is more than a product—it's a policy enabler," said Trevor Best, CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics. "This white paper shows how technology innovation can help regulators and industry meet climate goals while unlocking new economic opportunities."
As global regulators accelerate efforts to reduce aviation emissions, SAF demand is expected to exceed 200 million metric tons annually by 2050. However, current supply falls short by more than 120 million metric tons. NovaSAF™ addresses this gap by converting biogenic methane and carbon dioxide into ASTM-certified SAF using light-activated catalysts and renewable electricity. This process reduces equipment costs, leverages widely available feedstocks, and delivers strong project returns. Altogether, this pathway is generally at or lower cost than HEFA and can even achieve Jet-A parity in the right scenarios.
Crucially, NovaSAF™ meets both SAF and eSAF (electrofuels) requirements under the EU's RED III directive and the UK's Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). A NovaSAF plant will create SAF with two separate qualifications, a portion of the volume produced will qualify as an Advanced Biofuel, and the remaining portion will qualify as a Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO). This dual compliance enables access to premium SAF markets and supports long-term investment viability.
The paper highlights how NovaSAF is enabled by Syzygy's Rigel reactor technology, which is powered by renewable electricity and eliminates the need to combust fossil fuels. This critical piece is then combined with the well-established Fischer-Tropsch technology to turn the biogas into a liquid that can then be hydrotreated to create SAF. A final critical element are Syzygy's innovations around these technologies together into a modular system, which enables distributed, site-adaptable production.
It also features Syzygy's first commercial project, NovaSAF 1, located in Uruguay. This facility will convert manure from 14,000 cows into 400,000 gallons (1,100 tons) of SAF annually, powered by a national grid that is over 90 percent renewable. The project demonstrates the platform's scalability and its potential to reduce both methane and aviation-related emissions.
Syzygy's strategy focuses on scaling SAF production through repeatable project execution and technology licensing, aiming to meet the growing demand for low-carbon aviation fuels over the next 25 years.
The white paper can be downloaded at: https://20528129.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20528129/Whitepapers/Whitepaper_Solving_the_SAF_Trilemma-V3.pdf
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SOURCE Syzygy Plasmonics