SkiesFifty, Frontline BioEnergy join forces to advance waste-to-SAF production

Photo: SkiesFifty

SkiesFifty and Frontline BioEnergy announced a new partnership Jan. 23 to advance the commercialization of waste-to-energy technology, targeting the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Together, they will establish a new company, which they will jointly own and invest in, to spearhead the initiative.

This agreement combines SkiesFifty’s expertise in investment and sustainable aviation with Frontline’s proprietary and patented gasification technology that converts biomass and waste into clean renewable fuels on an industrial scale.

SkiesFifty is a global investment company with the dual objectives of accelerating aviation’s journey towards net-zero emissions while generating attractive returns for its investment partners.

These include corporates from aviation, chemicals and other heavy industry and financial institutions.

Incubated by the financiers at Rain and launched in 2024, it is led by a mix of senior professionals from the worlds of aviation, sustainability, energy and investing.

Its investment strategies focus on SAF, carbon removals, alternative propulsion, ground-operations greening and materials recycling. 

According to SkiesFifty, this new initiative is poised to address the global demand for clean fuels through the creation of a robust production pipeline for SAF and green methanol.

“This joint venture is another example of our commitment to driving sustainable aviation through investing in innovative solutions,” said Kurt Stache, a partner at SkiesFifty and leader of its U.S. business.

“Together with Frontline, we are creating new paths to renewable fuels that will help decarbonize our key focus sector, aviation, and also as an added bonus the maritime sector,” Stache said.

The new venture will focus on scaling up green methanol and SAF production at strategic sites across the United States, with potential for global expansion, helping reduce aviation’s carbon footprint while meeting the rising demand for sustainable travel.

This venture will deploy Frontline’s unique gasification technology on its own projects as well as licensing it to others, addressing a key challenge in many existing waste-to-energy initiatives.

“Our proprietary technology creates clean, tar-free and particulate-free synthesis gas,” said Jerod Smeenk, CEO at Frontline BioEnergy. “It has huge potential for the generation of SAF. We have been looking for the right partner and investor to unlock this market for some time. SkiesFifty will now enable us to enter into SAF production and commercialize it on a global scale. Through transforming waste into clean energy, we are unlocking new possibilities for renewable fuel production and contributing to a more sustainable future.” 

SkiesFifty said both it and Frontline BioEnergy believe this collaboration will be a transformative force in clean-fuel production.

With ambitious plans to deploy Frontline’s technology over the next decade, SkiesFifty said this new venture is positioned to deliver scalable solutions that drive significant progress towards environmental sustainability and economic growth in the United States and beyond.