British carbon conversion company OXCCU has announced a significant milestone in the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), having produced its first samples of a synthetic blending component designed for use in SAF blends.
This achievement marks an important step forward in the company’s efforts to convert waste carbon and other carbon-based feedstocks into lower-carbon liquid fuels for the aviation sector.
An Innovative Technology to Convert CO₂ into Aviation Fuel
OXCCU’s technology is based on a proprietary iron-based catalyst and a single-step conversion process that transforms carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen directly into hydrocarbons suitable for aviation fuel production.
The feedstocks can include captured CO₂ combined with green hydrogen, as well as biogas-derived carbon sources. By simplifying the conversion process, OXCCU aims to reduce the number of production stages, potentially lowering both capital investment and operating costs.
Another key feature of the technology is its ability to produce the four main hydrocarbon families found in conventional jet fuel: paraffins, isoparaffins, cycloparaffins and aromatics. This composition could offer greater flexibility when blending synthetic components with conventional aviation fuel.
First Samples Successfully Tested by Intertek
OXCCU’s first synthetic fuel samples were analysed by Intertek, the international testing, inspection and certification company.
According to the results announced on 21 October 2026, the synthetic blending component meets the requirements of ASTM D7566 Annex A4, which covers Fischer-Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene with Aromatics (FT-SPK/A).
This specification establishes the physical and chemical requirements for this type of synthetic component intended for blending with conventional aviation turbine fuel.
The results therefore represent an encouraging technical validation of OXCCU’s technology and its potential contribution to the development of next-generation sustainable aviation fuels.
The production of aromatic-containing synthetic components is particularly relevant because conventional paraffinic SAF pathways can face limitations related to their composition and blending properties.
Scaling Up Production with the OX2 Demonstration Facility
This milestone forms part of OXCCU’s broader industrial development strategy, which focuses on increasing production capacity and preparing the technology for commercial deployment.
The company already operates its OX1 pilot facility at Oxford Airport, with a production capacity of approximately 1 kg of liquid fuel per day.
Its next major step is the commissioning of OX2, a demonstration facility also planned for Oxford. According to the company’s announcement, the unit is expected to become fully operational in early 2027.
OX2 is designed to produce between 10 and 30 litres of fuel per day, enabling further testing, process optimisation and validation at a larger scale.
A Strategic Development for Aviation Decarbonisation
The development of OXCCU’s technology comes at a time when the aviation industry faces increasing pressure to accelerate its energy transition and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable aviation fuels are widely regarded as one of the most promising solutions for reducing aviation’s carbon footprint, particularly because they can be used within existing aircraft and fuel infrastructure, provided they meet the applicable technical and regulatory requirements.
By producing synthetic components that incorporate the different hydrocarbon families found in conventional jet fuel, OXCCU aims to diversify SAF production pathways and improve blending flexibility.
However, the Intertek test results should be viewed as a technical validation of the component’s properties against an existing specification, rather than as full commercial certification of a finished aviation fuel. Further qualification, optimisation and production scale-up will still be required. The FT-SPK/A pathway is also subject to a maximum blending limit of 50% with conventional jet fuel.
Conclusion
With the production of its first synthetic SAF blending component and its successful testing by Intertek, OXCCU has reached an important milestone in its ambition to turn carbon into sustainable aviation fuel.
Its iron-based catalytic process, which converts CO₂ and hydrogen directly into hydrocarbons, could offer a more flexible and potentially cost-effective route to SAF production.
The next major milestone will be the scale-up of operations through the OX2 demonstration facility, expected to become operational in early 2027. Its performance will help determine whether OXCCU’s technology can progress from technical demonstration towards industrial-scale production and contribute meaningfully to the aviation industry’s decarbonisation efforts.
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