Legislation plays a crucial role in advancing the science and technologies leading industrial transformation.
By: Derek Phelps, Head of Policy & Governmental Affairs
At the Crossroads of Policy and Science: Unlocking a Sustainable Future
At the intersection of policy and science lies immense potential. As Head of Policy & Governmental Affairs at Twelve, I work to bridge the gap between innovative technologies and effective legislation. This synergy has never been more critical, and at the 2024 NCSL Legislative Summit in Louisville, Kentucky, I had the opportunity to discuss Twelve’s revolutionary approach to transforming carbon dioxide into sustainable fuels and materials through electrochemical production.
Twelve's breakthrough Power-to-Liquid technology, the Opus™ System, is a CO2 electrolyzer that works like industrial photosynthesis. It transforms CO2, water and renewable energy into e-fuels like our drop-in sustainable aviation fuel, E-Jet® SAF. It has up to 90% lower emissions than conventional jet fuel, and uses up to 1000 times less water and 30 times less land than other types of SAF.
Our latest report, Know Your SAF: Guide to Sustainable Aviation Fuels, highlights the need for aviation to transition to non-fossil-derived fuels, and provides in-depth analysis around four key pathways for producing SAF. While most SAF produced today is biofuel, Power-to-Liquid technologies that produce e-SAF deliver clear advantages.
Legislation has played a key role in advancing this technology Policies like the Inflation Reduction Act and state-level incentives have provided crucial support to the SAF industry. For instance, Twelve recently received a $28.5M 48C Investment Tax Credit for our CO2 electrolyzer manufacturing facility in Alameda, CA—an example of effective policy enabling groundbreaking innovation.
E-Jet® SAF is jet fuel made from CO2 with up to 90% lower emissions than conventional fuel, and uses up to 1000x less water and 30x less land to produce compared to biofuels. Know Your SAF: Guide to Sustainable Aviation Fuels.
Twelve is advancing aviation's sustainable future through partnerships with International Airlines Group, Alaska Airlines, and the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) Through these collaborations, we are accelerating the adoption of e-SAF and leading the shift toward sustainable aviation practices.
Our Fuel for the Long Haul™ campaign champions the aviation industry's role in driving a more sustainable future through the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels like E-Jet SAF.
Looking ahead, The Opus™ System, Twelve’s CO2 electrolyzer at heart of our e-fuels production, will begin operations at our Moses Lake, Washington facility in 2025. This marks a pivotal moment for both Twelve and the aviation industry, with initial production of five barrels per day of E-Jet SAF, and ambitious plans for scaling up.
AirPlant™ One, Moses Lake, Washington. The Opus™ System CO2 Electrolyzer. Twelve co-founder and CSO Dr. Etosha Cave speaks with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee. Nicholas Flanders, Twelve Co-Founder and CEO, Dr. Kendra Kuhl, Twelve Co-Founder and CTO.
The advantage of Power-to-Liquid technology is clear: it uses direct CO2, renewable electricity, and water to create fuel that can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90%, compared to fossil fuels. This is the future of aviation—sustainable, efficient, and accelerates the path to net-zero.
At Twelve, we believe in the boundless possibilities that emerge when policy meets science. Together, they can unlock new frontiers of industrial innovation and drive us toward a more sustainable future.