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Syzygy unveils plans for groundbreaking sustainable aviation fuel facility

Syzygy Plasmonics will develop a facility, known as NovaSAF 1, to convert biogas into sustainable aviation fuel in Uruguay. Photo courtesy of Syzygy

Houston-based Syzygy Plasmonics announced plans to develop what it calls the world's first electrified facility to convert biogas into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The facility, known as NovaSAF 1, will be located in Durazno, Uruguay. It is expected to produce over 350,000 gallons of SAF annually, which would be considered “a breakthrough in cost-effective, scalable clean fuel,” according to the company.

"This is more than just a SAF plant; it's a new model for biogas economics," Trevor Best, CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics, said in a news release. "We're unlocking a global asset class of underutilized biogas sites and turning them into high-value clean fuel hubs without pipelines, costly gas separation, or subsidy dependence.”

The project is backed by long-term feedstock and site agreements with one of Uruguay's largest dairy and agri-energy operations, Estancias del Lago, while the permitting and equipment sourcing are ongoing alongside front-end engineering work led by Kent.

Syzygy says the project will result in a 50 percent higher SAF yield than conventional thermal biogas reforming pathways and will utilize both methane and CO2 naturally found in biogas as feedstocks, eliminating the need for expensive CO2 separation technologies and infrastructure. Additionally, the modular facility will be designed for easy replication in biogas-rich regions.

The new facility is expected to begin commercial operations in Q1 2027 and produce SAF with at least an 80 percent reduction in carbon intensity compared to Jet A fuel. The company says that once fully commercialized the facility will produce SAF at Jet-A fuel cost parity.

“We believe NovaSAF represents one of the few viable pathways to producing SAF at jet parity and successfully decarbonizing air travel,” Best added in the release.

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A View From HETI

San Antonio-based CPS Energy has acquired four Houston-area power plants that are dual-fuel capable. Photo via Getty Images.

CPS Energy, which services San Antonio, has agreed to acquire four state-of-the-art natural gas power generation facilities in the Houston area from Missouri-based PROENERGY for $1.387 billion, according to a release.

The recently constructed plants have an aggregate electric capacity of 1,632 megawatts and are located in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) markets in Harris, Brazoria and Galveston counties. The assets are dual-fuel capable, which would allow CPS Energy to transition to a hydrogen fuel blend and reduce carbon emissions.

CPS president and CEO Rudy Garza said that the acquisition presents a lower cost and lower supply chain risk alternative to building new power facilities while providing reliable, affordable and cleaner energy.

“We are getting the best of both worlds by securing new infrastructure without delay while also strengthening the power supply for our community,” Garza said in a news release. “This acquisition secures reliable capacity today – at a lower cost – and is a win for the customers of CPS Energy, the city of San Antonio and all the communities we serve by meeting their long-term energy needs. As we add resources to meet the needs of our fast-growing communities, we will continue to look to a diverse balance of energy sources that complement our portfolio, including natural gas, solar, wind, and storage, keeping our community powered and growing.”

PROENERGY will continue to staff, operate, and maintain the plants.

“By acquiring recently constructed, currently operating modern power plants that utilize proven technology already in use by CPS Energy, we avoid higher construction costs, inflationary risk, and long timelines associated with building new facilities – while also enhancing the reliability and affordability of the CPS Energy generation portfolio,” Garza added in the release.

CPS Energy is one of the nation’s largest public power, natural gas, and electric companies with 950,000 electric and 389,000 natural gas customers in the San Antonio area and surrounding counties.

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