Commercial aviation has completely altered the nature of life on Earth, and forever changed the way humans think about distance. But in 2023, the industry was responsible for 2.5% of global energy-related CO2 emissions, and given the difficulties of electrifying heavy transport, other solutions are clearly needed.

Today's guest is Robert Schuetzle, the CEO of Infinium, a company specializing in the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Instead of petroleum, Infinium's fuels are made using waste CO2, renewable energy and water, and can be used in planes without requiring any changes to existing infrastructure.

But how robust is the market for sustainable aviation fuels? How do you convince airlines to enter into long-term offtake agreements when margins within the industry are already razor-thin? And how does the SAF industry move from the proof-of-concept phase to the production volumes needed to really make a dent in emissions?

Let's find out.

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To learn more about Infinium, you can check them out at: https://www.infiniumco.com/

If you have any feedback on today's episode, shoot us an email at PIPE@bcg.com

For more information on BCG PIPE, and to stay updated, visit our website at: https://www.bcg.com/industries/principal-investors-private-equity/sustainability-in-private-equity

From turning food waste into energy, to sustainable steel and low-emission aviation fuel: Pitching Progress brings you the stories of leaders working to decarbonize the industries that power our world. On this show from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the founders and CEOs of some of the world’s top green companies take part in an in-depth pitch session that challenges them to demonstrate their business’s environmental impact, and the value they create for investors.

Pitching Progress is hosted by Vinay Shandal, who leads BCG’s sustainable investing business. Vinay draws on his experience at the intersection of capital and climate to ask his guests the tough questions, and challenges them to convince investors that the business is good for the world and good for their wallets.

Join us as we demystify the world where the world’s largest investors are deploying capital, and inspire the next wave of forward-thinking investors and entrepreneurs to scale the new economy.

Keep an eye out for our first episode, releasing on Thursday, October 2nd, and new episodes coming in the feed every two weeks.