Methanol-to-Jet Fuel for Sustainable Aviation

11 March 2026

Aircraft require fuels with high energy density, which makes direct electrification to decarbonise impractical for long-haul flights. As a result, Sustainable Aviation Fuels are needed for reducing emissions in the aviation sector.

Among the available pathways, methanol-based routes, including Methanol-to-Jet (MtJ) and methanation-related carbon utilisation processes, are attracting increasing interest. These approaches use captured carbon dioxide (CO₂) and green hydrogen (H₂) to create synthetic eFuel that can replace fossil kerosene.

Methanol to SAF Process

Methanol-to-Jet (MtJ) is part of a broader group of Power-to-Liquid (PtL) fuel technologies. The process generally follows these three steps;

1. Hydrogen Production
   Water is split into hydrogen and oxygen using electrolysis powered by renewable electricity such as wind or solar energy (making it green hydrogen).
2. CO₂ Hydrogenation (Methanol Synthesis)
   Captured carbon dioxide reacts with hydrogen to produce methanol.CO₂​ + 3H₂​ → CH₃​OH + H_2​OMethanol can be produced from a variety of sources of CO₂ including Direct Air Capture. (See: Why Direct Air Capture is Critical to Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production)
3. Methanol Conversion to Jet Fuel
   Methanol is converted into hydrocarbons suitable for aviation fuel through several catalytic reactions. One widely discussed route is Methanol-to-Olefins.

Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO)

What are Olefins?

Olefins, also called alkenes, are hydrocarbons that contain at least one carbon–carbon double bond and are widely used as chemical building blocks for fuels, plastics and other industrial products.

The methanol-to-olefins process is an important intermediate step in several fuel and chemical production routes.

• Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO)
  Methanol is converted to small hydrocarbon molecules such as ethylene and propylene using catalysts such as zeolites.
• Oligomerisation and upgrading
  The olefins are combined to form longer chains.
• Hydrogenation
  These longer hydrocarbons are converted into kerosene-range fuels suitable for aircraft engines.

In this process, methanol is dehydrated and then reacted over catalysts to produce light olefins, mainly ethylene (C₂H₄) and propylene (C₃H₆). These molecules are building blocks for fuels, and once produced, these olefins can be combined into longer hydrocarbons through catalytic reactions to create gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel.

The Methanol-to-Olefins route therefore provides a bridge between simple carbon molecules (C1) such as methanol and complex fuel molecules required for aviation.

Methanation

What is Methanation?

Methanation is a chemical reaction in which carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide reacts with hydrogen to produce methane and water using a catalyst:

CO₂ ​+ 4H₂ ​→ CH₄​ + 2H₂​O

Although methane itself is primarily used as synthetic natural gas, the methanation process plays a role in broader Power-to-X fuel systems, where captured carbon is converted into eFuels.

These reactions demonstrate how carbon dioxide can be converted into useful fuels instead of being released into the atmosphere.

Comparison With Other SAF Pathways

Several different pathways exist for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids)

HEFA fuels are produced from vegetable oils, used cooking oil, or animal fats.

Limitations

• Limited feedstock supply
• Competition with food and agriculture
• Scaling constraints

HEFA can reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 85 % compared with fossil jet fuel, but feedstock availability limits global production.

Fischer-Tropsch (FT)

The Fischer-Tropsch process converts syngas (carbon monoxide and hydrogen) into hydrocarbons through catalytic reactions. This technology has been used for decades in coal-to-liquid and gas-to-liquid plants.

Limitations

• Complex multi-step process
• Large and expensive plants
• High capital costs

Advantages of Methanol-to-Jet Over Fischer-Tropsch

Methanol-based pathways offer advantages over traditional Fischer-Tropsch routes. These include:

• Lower capital cost
  Methanol-to-fuel processes often require fewer reaction steps and therefore a simpler plant design whereas Fischer–Tropsch reactors require large, high-temperature catalytic systems that operate efficiently only at large scale. Since methanol is already a stable liquid intermediate, it can be stored, transported and processed more easily than syngas. This reduces compression requirements and further simplifies plant design. Additionally, methanol itself is also relatively inexpensive to produce compared with other hydrogen-based fuels.
• Improved scalability
  Methanol plants can operate at smaller scales, which reduces infrastructure requirements. This also allows methanol-based systems to integrate more easily with renewable electricity sources such as wind or solar power.
• Uses less energy
  The Fischer–Tropsch route involves several energy-intensive steps, and each stage adds energy demand and increases plant complexity. In contrast, the Methanol-to-Jet route is shorter.

New Catalysts for Carbon-to-Fuel Technologies

Several companies and research groups are developing new catalysts and processes that convert CO₂ directly into fuel molecules. One example is Oxford University spin-out, OXCCU, which has developed a catalyst that converts carbon dioxide and hydrogen directly into aviation fuels or fuel intermediates. These technologies aim to reduce process complexity and improve efficiency in carbon-to-fuel production.

The development of new catalytic materials and associated processes is key to efficiency targets particularly as they relate to improved process selectivity for SAF and efficient use of costly feedstocks (notably H₂ for eSAF). 

Conclusion

** For a more detailed investigation, have a look at the white paper written by NEG8 Carbon’s Prof. Don MacElroy: The Path to Sustainable Aviation

Methanol-to-jet fuel is emerging as a route to decarbonise aviation by combining renewable hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide. Additionally, the jet fuel produced is compatible with existing aircraft engines. Compared with traditional SAF pathways such as HEFA and Fischer-Tropsch, methanol-based processes offer advantages in scalability, flexibility and energy costs. When paired with Direct Air Capture, they also enable a closed carbon cycle in which atmospheric CO₂ is captured, converted into fuel, and reused. (See: How does SAF Reduce Emissions?)

 

For more: 

• Sustainable Aviation Fuel
• What is eFuel?
• What is eMethanol?
• CORSIA vs EU ETS: Why the Difference Matters for Direct Air Capture (DAC) and eSAF
• Direct Air Capture Technology

 

 

 

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