Cemvita Achieves Breakthrough in SAF Feedstock Production

Biosolutions leader for the energy industry reveals major milestone in the commercialization roadmap that enables large-scale production of sustainable oil.

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Cemvita, a biosolutions leader for the energy industry, announces a significant breakthrough enabling the company to produce substantial quantities of its Sustainable Oil from waste carbon sources. This landmark achievement marks a pivotal step forward in the production of low-carbon intensity feedstocks for HEFA sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), representing a significant opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change.

“We simply do not have enough low-carbon intensity feedstock locally in the U.S. We import about five billion pounds a year from places as far away as Australia and China to meet demand,” said Moji Karimi, CEO of Cemvita. “Our biotechnology is delivering on its promise of a sustainable future. The benefits and applications are limitless, from avoiding the environmental impact of deforestation and providing sustainable fuels to food and cosmetic applications. We’ve turned waste into a viable alternative to traditional fossil fuels.”

Cemvita's optimized microorganisms are rich in oil and undergo a series of processing steps to extract it. Through applied research and innovation in bioprocess technology, this developed process has produced high-yield extraction of the oil from the 4,000-liter bioreactor the company operates in Houston. Early tests confirm that Cemvita’s Sustainable Oil is a drop-in replacement for palm oil in all its use cases.

The next step for Sustainable Oil will be the conversion into sustainable aviation fuel by partners in refining. The use of sustainable oil in SAF production targets a reduction of emissions of up to 80% over common jet fuel, with further applications in food, cosmetics, and specialty chemicals. Such an achievement opens up new avenues for sustainable fuel feedstock production. To ensure reliability, Cemvita will continue the process with the produced Sustainable Oil undergoing extensive characterization and product testing to ensure its performance and compatibility with existing aviation infrastructure.

Founded in 2017, Cemvita has partnered with global corporations with a joint mission to unlock an entirely new industrial category of biorenewable natural resources. With its recent breakthrough, Cemvita solidifies its role at the forefront of commercializing biosolutions that enable an accelerated energy transition.

About Cemvita

Cemvita is on a mission to create the natural resource industry of the future. This vision is realized by carbon utilization for the biomanufacturing of sustainable oil for the production of SAF. Cemvita works with global corporations to accelerate the energy transition and deliver industrial biotech that will impact climate goals in a real way. The company was founded in 2017 and is proudly based in Houston, Texas, the energy capital of the world. For more information, please visit www.cemvita.com.