Infinium’s Project Atlas wins SABA next-generation SAF procurement

US based e-fuels producer Infinium has secured a major offtake award for its Project Atlas development after being selected by the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance under its next-generation sustainable aviation fuel procurement program.

The project will supply SAF certificates (SAFc) to SABA's corporate buyers, marking a key step in advancing next-generation fuel pathways and unlocking financing for new SAF capacity, Infinium said in a statement April 8.

Project Atlas competed against more than a dozen advanced biofuel and electrofuel projects in a multi-stage evaluation process.

Project Atlas is designed as an electro-SAF (eSAF) facility with planned production capacity of around 100,000 metric tons/year, targeting a life-cycle carbon intensity reduction of up to 95% compared with conventional jet fuel. The project builds on Infinium's earlier developments, including Project Pathfinder and Project Roadrunner, which have supported its commercial-scale deployment of electrofuels.

Infinium partnered with American Airlines in its bid, with the carrier set to act as the end-user of the fuel and manage logistics. The airline will physically take delivery of the eSAF, while SABA's corporate members will purchase SAF certificates under a book-and-claim system to account for emissions reductions.

"This is a pivotal milestone for Project Atlas," said Robert Schuetzle, adding that the agreement reflected growing demand for power-to-liquid fuels and supported the expansion of domestic SAF production capacity.

SABA aggregates demand from corporate customers seeking to reduce emissions from business travel and freight, converting that demand into long-term, financeable offtake agreements aimed at enabling projects to reach final investment decisions. Participating buyers are expected to sign binding agreements with Infinium later this year, with initial fuel production targeted by 2029.

In addition to supplying SABA members, Project Atlas is expected to produce EU-compliant renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) eSAF, positioning it to tap into rising demand driven by Europe's SAF mandates. Under ReFuelEU Aviation rules, blending requirements began at 2% in 2025 and are set to rise to 20% by 2035, with a dedicated eSAF sub-mandate from 2030.

Kim Carnahan said the selection demonstrates how voluntary corporate demand can help catalyze investment in new SAF facilities, while Jill Blickstein highlighted the role of partnerships in scaling emerging fuel technologies.

Infinium produces eSAF by combining captured CO2 with renewable energy to create drop-in aviation fuel compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure. The company said the Project Atlas award adds momentum to the commercialization of power-to-liquid fuels, which are increasingly seen as critical to meeting aviation's long-term decarbonization targets.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed SAF HEFA-SPK FOB Straits at $2,400/mt on April 8, down $20/mt from April 7.