No matter the fossil fuel; whether it is oil, gas, or coal, ultimately the energy being used originated from the sun and is stored in hydrocarbons. Dimensional Energy is a small US company that has developed an ‘artificial photosynthesis’ process to create synthetic fuels. The company takes energy captured by concentrated solar plants and combines it with H₂ (from water via hydrolysis) and CO₂ to create jet fuel!

Locating Dimensional Energy refineries near industrial sources and implementing point source carbon capture would allow for a circular economy and the ‘recycling’ of these industrial carbon emissions. While carbon would still be released, this process would be carbon neutral, eliminating significant CO₂ emissions that would otherwise be produced from conventional aviation.

As incredible as Dimensional Energy’s solution is, it is important to remember that the best thing to reduce the climate impact of flying right now is to fly less.