Decarbonising Planes Without Batteries or Hydrogen? For Now, Here’s How Artwork

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Climate Confident - Practical Climate Solutions That Cut Emissions

Decarbonising Planes Without Batteries or Hydrogen? For Now, Here’s How

April 30, 2025 • Tom Raftery • Season 1 • Episode 218

0:00 | 32:45

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I speak with Alexei Beltyukov, co-founder of Universal Fuel Technologies, about a new approach to producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), using a process they call flexiforming.

Unlike traditional methods like HEFA or Fischer–Tropsch, flexiforming allows producers to use a much wider range of feedstocks, from mixed alcohols to naphtas and renewable waste streams, and turn them into jet fuel, renewable diesel, or chemicals. This flexibility is critical as SAF demand surges, especially with EU mandates requiring a rising share of SAF in jet fuel starting in 2025.

We explore:

Why SAF is the only viable decarbonisation path for long-haul aviation (for now)
What sets flexiforming apart from conventional SAF production
How current SAF mandates and incentives (EU vs. US) shape supply and pricing
Why scaling SAF requires compatibility with existing refinery infrastructure
The role consumer awareness might play in driving airline demand

Alexei also makes the case for slow but steady growth in SAF adoption, pointing to its current double-digit annual growth and comparing its trajectory to that of electric vehicles 10 years ago.

If you're working in energy, fuels, aviation, or sustainability policy, or you’re just trying to understand how we decarbonise one of the hardest-to-abate sectors, this episode offers a clear, grounded perspective.

🔗 Listen now and learn more at climateconfidentpodcast.com

#sustainableaviationfuel #SAF #decarbonisation #aviation #cleantech #climatechange #renewablefuels #energytransition #climateconfident #podcast

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