Turning CO2 into Clean Fuel

Aviation and shipping together account for roughly 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and both industries are notoriously difficult to decarbonize. Oxylus Energy is tackling this challenge with a breakthrough approach: converting carbon dioxide and water into green methanol that can serve as a drop-in fuel for planes, ships, and petrochemical processes.

Spun out of a Yale University chemistry lab in 2023, Oxylus uses a proprietary cobalt-based catalyst that enables this conversion at room temperature — a significant advancement over traditional e-fuel production methods that require extreme heat and pressure, driving up costs and energy consumption.

What They're Building

Oxylus Energy's core technology centers on its novel catalyst system, which makes the production of green methanol dramatically more energy-efficient than existing approaches. By operating at ambient conditions, the process can potentially be powered entirely by renewable electricity, creating a truly carbon-neutral fuel cycle.

The company is targeting the aviation, shipping, and petrochemical sectors — industries where electrification is impractical and liquid fuels will remain essential for decades. Green methanol is particularly attractive because it can use existing fuel infrastructure with minimal modifications, making adoption far more feasible than hydrogen or other alternative fuels.

Why It Matters

All three of Oxylus Energy's co-founders were named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Energy list in 2024, a recognition of both the scientific breakthrough and its commercial potential. With a $4.5 million seed round, the team is scaling from lab-scale demonstrations to pilot production, working toward proving the technology can deliver green methanol at a cost competitive with fossil fuels.