Company claims has machine that makes gasoline from the air

[Scott Downey]

https://www.morningstar.com/news/globe-newswire/9456322/first-us-machine-to-turn-air-into-gasoline-debuts-in-nyc

NEW YORK, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a rooftop demonstration in Manhattan’s Garment District, New York–based fuels company Aircela unveiled the first working machine in the U.S. that produces gasoline directly from air. Compact and modular, the unit combines direct air capture and on-site fuel synthesis into a single deployable machine—roughly the size of a refrigerator.

Designed to produce fossil-free gasoline, the machine pulls CO2 directly from the atmosphere and converts it into fuel that’s fully compatible with today’s engines—no modifications required.

“When I first spoke with Eric, I told him, ‘I wish you all the success in the world, but I can’t believe this is going to work.’ Fortunately, I was wrong. Aircela has earned my full respect, and I’m thrilled to celebrate this historic moment. I’m convinced this marks the beginning of a long and important journey — one whose impact is still vastly underestimated today.”
— Karl Dums, Former Senior Project Lead of eFuels, Porsche AG

Some pics

Press Kit - Launch Photos May 20

Aircela's Launch - May 20, 2025

sites.google.com

 

[Scott Downey]

Fridge-sized machine produces clean gasoline from air and CO2

Gasoline from air became reality at Aircela’s NYC demo, where a working machine produced fossil-free fuel in real time.

interestingengineering.com

Supposedly the technology was already known, just never commercialized.

Can anyone believe this?
It seems preposterous.

Industry support fuels growth​

The project has backing from major investors, including Ripple founder Chris Larsen and activist investor Jeff Ubben.
Strategic support also comes from Maersk Growth, the venture arm of Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk.
“We invested in Aircela because of their innovative approach to production of low-emission fuels based on direct air capture,” said Morten Bo Christiansen, Senior Vice President and Head of Energy Transition at Maersk.

Backed by decades of science​

The technology is rooted in the early work of physicist Klaus Lackner, a pioneer of direct air capture.
Lackner joined the demonstration event to explain the scientific basis of the machine’s carbon capture process. Aircela’s system builds on that research with a commercial, field-ready solution.
Founded in 2019 by Mia and Eric Dahlgren, the company advanced to real-world testing within a few years. Support from early investors enabled it to move quickly from development to demonstration.

Deployments expected by fall​

Aircela plans to begin initial deployments of its machines by fall 2025. The units will target off-grid, commercial, and industrial users looking for fossil-free fuel that doesn’t require systemic changes.

 

[Reggie Belafonte]

I had that back in 1985 !
I had a 308ci V8 car, and a mates dad over heard me talking about the economy I could get out of it !
He said, is it makeing Pertol !
I said, yes !
The only issue was, I had to siphon fuel out of my tank and into others !

 

[Scott Downey]

Found the process details on how this works, it is in the article.
Makes a gallon of gas per day.
At a future price of gas by 2030, so the fuel won't be cheap.
Since this is a well know process, maybe China will design their own version and sell it cheap!

Awesome invention: A refrigerator -sized device can make gasoline directly from the air – The Observatorial

observatorial.com

One device is capable of collecting about 10 pounds of carbon dioxide per day, which can be made about one gallon, or 3.8 liters of gasoline. The internal tank of the device can accommodate up to 17 gallons, or about 64 liters of finished fuel.

The price of the device has not been announced, nor the price of the fuel per liter of fuel. However, the company has previously stated that the price of gasoline produced by it would be equivalent to the price of fossil fuels by 2030.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

https://www.morningstar.com/news/globe-newswire/9456322/first-us-machine-to-turn-air-into-gasoline-debuts-in-nyc

NEW YORK, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a rooftop demonstration in Manhattan’s Garment District, New York–based fuels company Aircela unveiled the first working machine in the U.S. that produces gasoline directly from air. Compact and modular, the unit combines direct air capture and on-site fuel synthesis into a single deployable machine—roughly the size of a refrigerator.

Designed to produce fossil-free gasoline, the machine pulls CO2 directly from the atmosphere and converts it into fuel that’s fully compatible with today’s engines—no modifications required.

“When I first spoke with Eric, I told him, ‘I wish you all the success in the world, but I can’t believe this is going to work.’ Fortunately, I was wrong. Aircela has earned my full respect, and I’m thrilled to celebrate this historic moment. I’m convinced this marks the beginning of a long and important journey — one whose impact is still vastly underestimated today.”
— Karl Dums, Former Senior Project Lead of eFuels, Porsche AG

Some pics

Press Kit - Launch Photos May 20

Aircela's Launch - May 20, 2025

sites.google.com

Well I will wait until they do actual testing in internal combustion engines .

First to see if it actually works.
Second if it provides the needed combustion to give adequate power.
Third to check engines for unnatural wear and tear from this non ffossil fuel.

 

[Bob]

Thanks for posting!

The formula for octane is C8H18. So, starting with air and water, and the right enzymes, plus some energy (!) it should be feasible. The only question is, how much energy? (And is oxygen a byproduct?)

Note: green plants perform a similar feat by converting air and water into sugar plus oxygen. The required energy is solar!

Blessings.

 

[Scott Downey]

Fox has picked up the story.

MSN

 

[Scott Downey]

Thanks for posting!

The formula for octane is C8H18. So, starting with air and water, and the right enzymes, plus some energy (!) it should be feasible. The only question is, how much energy? (And is oxygen a byproduct?)

Note: green plants perform a similar feat by converting air and water into sugar plus oxygen. The required energy is solar!

Blessings.

I think it does make oxygen too

 

[talons]

One device is capable of collecting about 10 pounds of carbon dioxide per day, which can be made about one gallon, or 3.8 liters of gasoline. The internal tank of the device can accommodate up to 17 gallons, or about 64 liters of finished fuel.

The price of the device has not been announced, nor the price of the fuel per liter of fuel. However, the company has previously stated that the price of gasoline produced by it would be equivalent to the price of fossil fuels by 2030.

How much power does it use to produce the fuel ? That would be all important .

 

[Rockerduck]

It takes energy to create energy. The first law of thermodynamics stated that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed. The second law of thermodynamics states that energy states each time it is changed it decreases usefulness, this is called entropy. It is also non reversable. Summary- this machine is inefficient, because the energy to make the fuel is greater than the cost. Another words, an electric car is more efficient, but using the electric car to produce the fuel is inefficient.

 

[Scott Downey]

There is an ongoing effort to vastly increase electrical power all over this country.
AI, datacenters, EV, heat pumps, the idea that electricity can replace liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
It can't actually do that. not yet.
More power demand means more power will be produced, as the need or demand keeps growing greater.

 

[Scott Downey]

How much power does it use to produce the fuel ? That would be all important .

This company projects the cost of their fuel will be the same in 2030 as buying gasoline in 2030.
A lot of assumptions are in that forecasted price.

 

[talons]

This company projects the cost of their fuel will be the same in 2030 as buying gasoline in 2030.

From the machine web site .

How much energy does it take to make fuel?​

The system targets an end-to-end energy conversion efficiency of over 50% as development scales. At that efficiency, it requires around 75 kWh of electricity to produce 1 gallon of gasoline per day.

How much power does it use to produce the fuel ? That would be all important .

At .15 per kWh it will cost $11.25 a day to run the machine PLUS the cost of the machine and maintenance . One gallon of fuel per day is produced .

The Science

Aircela combines decades of research in carbon capture, hydrogen electrolysis, and catalytic fuel synthesis to deliver a compact system that turns air into gasoline — without fossil inputs. Our machine integrates Direct Air Capture (DAC) with methanol synthesis and gasoline upgrading, creating...

www.aircela.com

 

[Scott Downey]

From the machine web site .

How much energy does it take to make fuel?​

The system targets an end-to-end energy conversion efficiency of over 50% as development scales. At that efficiency, it requires around 75 kWh of electricity to produce 1 gallon of gasoline per day.

At .15 per kWh it will cost $11.25 a day to run the machine PLUS the cost of the machine and maintenance . One gallon of fuel per day is produced .

The Science

Aircela combines decades of research in carbon capture, hydrogen electrolysis, and catalytic fuel synthesis to deliver a compact system that turns air into gasoline — without fossil inputs. Our machine integrates Direct Air Capture (DAC) with methanol synthesis and gasoline upgrading, creating...

www.aircela.com

If so, then right now it's a novelty. It is not economically competitive.
Company says by 2030 will be competitive with regular gasoline.
I hope we don't have to pay like 12$ a gallon!

'Green Energy', always so expensive.