Amsterdam-based SeaO2, along with TU Delft, University of Twente, and NERA, has received €1.64M in funding from the TKI Energy and Industry programme.
The funding will support the development of a decentralised process to produce aviation fuel using seawater, renewable electricity, and captured CO2.
The project combines work in CO2 capture, electrochemical conversion, and catalysis to establish a method of fuel production that operates without biomass or fossil sources.
Producing aviation fuel from seawater and captured CO2
The project focuses on developing a process to produce aviation fuel from seawater and captured CO2, structured around four main areas. It begins with defining system requirements, use cases, and technical criteria for a viable water-to-e-SAF pathway.
Next, captured CO2 is converted into alcohols and olefins, core components of aviation fuel, using specialised reactor designs and catalysts. And finally, a techno-economic analysis assesses the cost and scalability of the integrated process and benchmarks it against conventional kerosene.
Ocean-based CO2 removal technology
Founded in 2021 by Ruben Brands and David Vermaas, SeaO2 is working to reduce carbon dioxide concentrations in the ocean, which in turn helps lower levels in the atmosphere.
Its goal is to remove 1 gigaton of CO2 by 2045 through a process called Direct Ocean Capture. This method passes seawater through an electrochemical system that removes CO2 before returning the treated water to the ocean, where it can absorb more CO2 from the air.
SeaO2 builds on technology developed at Delft University of Technology and Wetsus. The system operates without chemicals or external feedstock and relies fully on electricity, aligning with net-zero targets and electrified industry needs. It aims to offer a compact, modular approach to large-scale carbon removal using ocean-based systems.
Scaling vision
SeaO2 is expanding its Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology through a modular system designed for scale and integration. The units can be deployed across a range of water-pumping industries, including thermal power, desalination, and aquaculture, allowing for shared infrastructure and lower operational costs.
Looking ahead to the 2030s, SeaO2 plans to repurpose oil and gas platforms as offshore DOC hubs, combining them with offshore wind and geological storage. The captured CO2 can either be stored permanently as part of carbon removal strategies or used as feedstock for producing chemicals and fuels.
A valuable resource
SeaO2 also promotes the use of captured CO2 as a resource rather than a waste product. The carbon can be applied directly in sectors such as food, beverages, packaging, and agriculture, or converted into fuels and chemicals, including methanol, ethylene, alcohols, formic acid, formate, syngas, and urea. These uses support emission reduction in sectors with limited alternatives.
