OXCCU has produced its first samples of a synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend component that has been tested by Intertek against international fuel standards, advancing the UK-based company’s efforts to commercialise its carbon-to-fuel technology.
The analysis confirmed that the fuel meets the physical and chemical property requirements of ASTM D7566 Annex A4 for Fischer–Tropsch Synthesised Kerosine with Aromatics (FT-SPK/A), according to OXCCU. The specification covers a synthetic blending component intended for use in aviation fuel blends.
The milestone provides an early validation of OXCCU’s proprietary iron-based Fischer–Tropsch technology, which converts carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen into fuel-range hydrocarbons through a single-step process. Further testing and optimisation remain ongoing as the company works towards producing larger volumes.
Intertek testing validates synthetic SAF blend component
The fuel was assessed by Intertek, a provider of fuel testing and analysis services. Testing against ASTM D7566 Annex A4 addresses whether the synthetic component meets the relevant physical and chemical requirements for the specified Fischer–Tropsch pathway.
The distinction between a blend component and finished aviation fuel is important. A component that meets the applicable requirements must still be blended and assessed in accordance with the relevant standards before the resulting fuel can be used as certified aviation turbine fuel.
Intertek’s sustainable aviation fuel testing framework distinguishes between testing a synthetic blending component against ASTM D7566 and certifying finished blended fuel against ASTM D1655.
OXCCU said the validation strengthens confidence in its fuel product, although additional testing and process optimisation are still required.
Iron-based catalyst targets a shorter COâ‚‚-to-fuel process
OXCCU’s technology uses a proprietary iron-based Fischer–Tropsch catalyst to convert CO₂ and hydrogen directly into hydrocarbons in the jet-fuel range.
The company aims to simplify conventional production routes by avoiding the need for a separate reverse water-gas shift step to convert CO₂ into carbon monoxide before Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. According to OXCCU, reducing the number of processing stages could lower capital and operating costs.
The company’s chief executive, Andrew Symes, said OXCCU had demonstrated its ability to produce all four hydrocarbon component groups that it identifies as making up jet fuel: paraffins, isoparaffins, cycloparaffins and aromatics.
Symes contrasted this with other pathways that, according to the company, primarily produce paraffins and isoparaffins. The claimed ability to produce aromatic components is relevant because fuel composition and properties affect how synthetic components can be blended with conventional aviation fuel.
These technical advantages remain subject to further validation at higher production volumes and under the applicable fuel qualification requirements.
OX2 facility expected to support larger-scale testing
The latest milestone follows the operation of OXCCU’s OX1 demonstration plant at London Oxford Airport. The facility has supported the company’s development and testing of its carbon-to-fuel process.
OXCCU is preparing to scale up through its OX2 demonstration facility, which is expected to become fully operational in early 2027, according to the company’s announcement.
The facility is intended to produce larger quantities of synthetic fuel components, enabling additional testing and optimisation. Greater output would help the company gather the operating data needed to assess the technology’s performance beyond its initial demonstration stage.
OXCCU’s longer-term objective is to commercialise a process capable of producing SAF at lower cost and at a scale suitable for aviation fuel supply chains. Commercial deployment will depend on technical performance, feedstock and hydrogen availability, project economics, fuel qualification and the ability to deliver consistent volumes.
SAF blending flexibility remains a challenge
The testing milestone comes as the aviation sector seeks to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuels while maintaining fuel quality, aircraft compatibility and reliable supply.
Liam Mills, sustainable hydrocarbon specialist at Intertek, said conventional paraffinic SAF pathways can face blending limitations when particular fuel properties fall outside specification. He noted that FT-SPK/A offers properties closer to conventional aviation fuel and could provide another option where paraffinic blending components constrain overall SAF utilisation.
The practical contribution of any pathway will depend on the properties of the finished blend and compliance with applicable fuel standards. Successful testing of one component does not by itself establish the maximum blend level achievable in every fuel formulation.
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OXCCU’s Intertek-tested sample marks progress in the technical development of synthetic SAF, particularly in demonstrating that its iron-based Fischer–Tropsch process can produce a blend component meeting the specified FT-SPK/A requirements.
The potential commercial advantage lies in process simplification. If OXCCU can consistently convert COâ‚‚ and hydrogen into suitable fuel-range hydrocarbons while avoiding additional processing stages, it could reduce equipment requirements and operating complexity. Whether those advantages translate into competitive SAF production costs will depend on hydrogen prices, energy consumption, COâ‚‚ sourcing, catalyst performance, process yields and plant utilisation.
The testing milestone should not be confused with commercial readiness. Further qualification work, scale-up and consistent production are needed before the technology’s performance can be assessed under commercial operating conditions. Nor does testing establish the life-cycle emissions reduction of the fuel; that depends on the origins of the CO₂ and hydrogen, the energy used in production and the wider fuel life cycle.
OX2 will be an important next step because larger volumes can support additional testing and generate operational data. For the wider SAF market, the key measure of progress will be whether emerging production routes can deliver qualified fuel reliably, at competitive cost and with demonstrable life-cycle emissions benefits.
