How One Startup Turns Pig Manure Into Jet Fuel

Episode 35 of The Climate Tech Podcast looks at a surprising feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel: livestock manure. Lucas and Luna explore how a Nebraska-based startup called FarmFuel Energy is building its first commercial plant to convert hog waste into drop-in jet fuel, potentially cutting emissions by 80% compared to fossil kerosene. They break down the two-step process — anaerobic digestion followed by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis — and the economics of a facility that costs $120 million to build but can produce 10 million gallons of fuel per year. They also discuss the regulatory push from the EPA's Renewable Fuel Standard and the Inflation Reduction Act's sustainable aviation fuel tax credit, which together make manure-to-fuel projects viable. But challenges remain: scaling the feedstock supply chain, competing with corn ethanol for waste streams, and the sheer volume of manure needed. By the end, listeners will understand why pigs might just help decarbonize aviation. #SustainableAviationFuel #PigManure #FarmFuelEnergy #ClimateTech #Decarbonization #FischerTropsch #AnaerobicDigestion #RenewableFuelStandard #InflationReductionAct #JetFuel #Agriculture #WasteToEnergy #EmissionsReduction #Biofuels #Nebraska #Startup #Business #FexingoBusiness Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo