Airbus Announces Strategic Investment in SAF Technology Company LanzaJet

Aerospace giant Airbus announced today an investment in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technology and production company LanzaJet, forming part of part of LanzaJet’s current $100 million growth equity funding round, aimed at enabling the company to continue scaling its ethanol-to-SAF technology.

The announcement marks the latest in a series of investments in the LanzaJet, including recent investments by Tokyo-based banking group MUFG, airport operator Groupe ADP, Microsoft and Southwest Airlines. Additional investors in the company include All Nippon Airways, Breakthrough Energy, British Airways, LanzaTech, Mitsui & Co., Shell, and Suncor Energy.

Jimmy Samartzis, Chief Executive Officer of LanzaJet, said:

“LanzaJet intentionally developed a diverse portfolio of strategic investors comprised of leading, global companies to ensure we have the ecosystem to scale the SAF industry. This important investment from Airbus supports the growth of our company, enabling LanzaJet to scale the production and deployment of SAF to continue working towards meeting aviation’s decarbonization goals and developing a more sustainable industry.”

Launched in 2020 by carbon recycling technology company LanzaTech, Illinois-based LanzaJet has developed “Alcohol-to-Jet” technology enabling the creation of SAF and renewable diesel from waste-based and sustainable ethanol sources including feedstocks such as low-carbon sugarcane, energy crops, forest residuals, agricultural wastes, and organic waste.

LanzaJet is in the process of starting up the first commercial-scale production of ethanol-to-SAF plant, LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels in Soperton, Georgia, with annual production of 10 million gallons of SAF and renewable diesel.

According to Airbus, the new investment aligns with its ambition to act as a catalyst for global SAF development, and will support the development of the Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) pathway.

Airbus has set a series of SAF-related targets, including goals to reach 15% SAF in its global fuel mix by 2024, and at least 30% by 2030. The company used 11 million liters of SAF in 2023, surpassing its target of 10% SAF use for the year. Airbus aircraft are currently able to fly on up to 50% SAF blends, while the company anticipates its aircraft will be capable of flying with up to 100% SAF.

Julie Kitcher, Chief Sustainability Officer at Airbus, said:

“Sustainable aviation fuels are one of the most important levers available to decarbonise aviation, but their production is still limited. Our partnership with LanzaJet demonstrates Airbus’ commitment to work with leading energy technology suppliers to explore innovative production pathways and scale SAF. This important partnership with LanzaJet underlines the importance of new technologies and cross-sector collaboration to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.”