US reactor turns cow manure into jet fuel at fraction of normal cost

California startup Circularity Fuels has developed the Ouro Reactor, a compact, electric-powered unit that converts biogas from dairy farm manure into syngas, a precursor to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This technology was successfully demonstrated on a Central Valley dairy farm, achieving conversion at just 1/100th the capital cost of traditional systems. The reactor operates by electrically reforming raw biogas without combustion, directly processing waste without expensive pre-treatment, and maintaining stable operation despite contaminants. Its small size and low cost make on-site jet fuel production feasible for individual farms, bypassing the need for pipeline infrastructure. With over 20,000 large livestock farms in the U.S. producing nearly a trillion pounds of manure annually—yet less than 6% capturing biogas—this innovation could unlock a vast untapped resource. Circularity Fuels estimates that if biogas-to-SAF technology were deployed across all viable U.S. waste sites, it could produce 42 million gallons of jet fuel daily