Dr. Etosha Cave Featured on "Sustainability in the Air" Podcast: The Power-to-Liquids Revolution

Twelve Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer discusses how carbon transformation technology is reshaping sustainable aviation fuel production.

---

Dr. Etosha Cave, Twelve's Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer, recently joined SimpliFlying CEO Shashank Nigam on the Sustainability in the Air podcast for an in-depth conversation exploring Twelve’s carbon transformation technology and vision for creating a circular carbon economy.

Mimicking Nature at Industrial Scale

At the heart of the discussion was Twelve's revolutionary approach to carbon transformation. Etosha explained how our technology essentially recreates photosynthesis in an industrial setting: "We're taking CO2 from industrial emissions, air, and landfills, and combining it with water and renewable electricity through specialized metal catalysts to create jet fuel and other essential products."

This power-to-liquids approach represents a paradigm shift in sustainable aviation fuel production. While traditional biofuels often compete with food systems for agricultural resources, Twelve's process uses 1,000x less water and 30x less land—all while achieving up to 90% lower lifecycle emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.

Building Strategic Partnerships for Scale

The conversation highlighted how Twelve's partnerships with major airlines like Alaska Airlines and International Airlines Group (IAG), along with tech leaders like Microsoft, are leveraging growing consumer demand for carbon-neutral travel solutions. These collaborations aren't just about purchasing fuel—they're about demonstrating the scalability and advantages of power-to-liquid technology.

"The beauty of our approach is that it's drop-in ready," Etosha explained. "Airlines can use our E-Jet® sustainable aviation fuel without modifying their existing aircraft or infrastructure, which accelerates adoption and impact."

Choosing Moses Lake

As part of the conversation, Etosha detailed why Twelve selected Moses Lake, Washington as the location for AirPlant™ One, our first commercial demonstration facility. The decision came down to several critical factors:

• Abundant Hydropower 

  Access to clean, renewable electricity at competitive rates, AirPlant One runs on 100% hydropower.

• State Incentives

  Washington State's supportive policy environment for clean technology.

  
  

• Geographic Proximity

  Strategic location near key partners and customers.

  
  

• Emerging Cleantech Hub

  Part of a growing ecosystem of sustainable technology companies

A World Made from Air: Vision for Circular Carbon

One of the most compelling points of discussion centered around Etosha's vision for the future: completely closed carbon cycles where CO2 becomes the building blocks for everything from consumer products to aviation fuel. This vision extends far beyond sustainable aviation—it's about fundamentally reimagining how we produce the materials that power our modern economy.

"We're transforming waste CO2 into valuable resources," Etosha explained. "It's industrial photosynthesis that can address up to 10% of total global emissions and up to 50% of difficult-to-decarbonize industrial emissions."

Listen to the Full Episode

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, Podcast Addict, or YouTube Music