Technology

Prometheus cuts synthetic kerosene costs by 80% with new process

Thursday 15 - 14:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Prometheus cuts synthetic kerosene costs by 80% with new process

Prometheus Fuels, a Santa Cruz-based company, has unveiled a groundbreaking electrochemical method to produce synthetic kerosene and diesel from electricity and atmospheric air, claiming an 80% reduction in e-fuel production costs compared to the century-old Fischer-Tropsch process. Announced on January 14, this marks the first public disclosure of the firm's proprietary technology, which generates paraffinic synthetic kerosene the foundation for sustainable aviation fuels and e-diesel without relying on hydrogen. Independent technical assessments in late 2025 confirmed its viability using commercial-scale cells.

The process, dubbed electrochemical oligomerization, employs electromagnetic fields and electric currents in ambient-temperature water under atmospheric pressure to build carbon-carbon chains. Unlike traditional Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, which demands expensive high-temperature, high-pressure reactors and grid-tied power, Prometheus's Faraday reactor produces finished kerosene that separates spontaneously from water, bypassing distillation. Founder and CEO Rob McGinnis hailed it as a game-changer, positioning e-fuels to compete directly with fossil fuels while enabling low-cost sustainable aviation fuel in unlimited quantities, new energy for data centers, and resilient defense logistics.

This breakthrough arrives amid mounting challenges in the sustainable aviation fuel sector, where current e-sustainable aviation fuels cost three to four times more than conventional jet fuel $15 to $16 per gallon versus $4 to $5, per Oxford Institute for Energy Studies research. The International Air Transport Association has cautioned that high costs and policy design flaws are curbing supply growth in 2026. Analysts at IDTechEx forecast the global sustainable aviation fuel market could hit $50 billion by 2036, driven by decarbonization mandates, but emerging pathways must achieve cost parity as biofuel feedstock limits bite.

Backed by investors including A.P. Moller - Maersk, BMW, and Y Combinator, Prometheus reached unicorn status with a $1.5 billion valuation in 2021. The company previously demonstrated direct air capture costs under $50 per ton, validated by engineering firm Ramboll, and completed a year-long pilot at its Titan Forge Alpha facility.