1. Reverse Water-Gas Shift
CO2 + H2 → CO + H2O
Captured carbon dioxide reacts with hydrogen to form carbon monoxide and water.
www.fuelfromair.com
Petroleum products
from captured carbon.
This website demonstrates our process for converting CO₂ into high-value petroleum products, including diesel, gasoline, and kerosene.
After five years of research and development, Fuel From Air presents a circular-carbon pathway that transforms captured carbon into liquid fuels the world already understands.
Explore the process →01
The Chemistry
We use time-proven chemistry combined with advanced catalysis to convert captured CO₂ and renewable hydrogen into synthesis gas, then into hydrocarbons.
Learn more →2. Hydrocarbon Synthesis (Fischer–Tropsch)
(2n + 1)H2 + nCO → CnH2n+2 + nH2O
Synthesis gas is converted over a catalyst to produce long-chain hydrocarbons in the range of diesel, gasoline, and kerosene.
Process sequence
The unit will capture CO2 from the atmosphere, then release the CO2 back into the gas phase and compress it. The CO2 will be catalytically combined with electrolytically generated hydrogen to synthesise methanol. The methanol will then be catalytically dehydrated and oligermerised to synthetic petrol.
Atmospheric CO₂ to synthetic fuel flow diagram
This diagram illustrates the proposed route from CO₂ capture and electrostatic spraying through hydrogen electrolysis, CO₂ stripping, catalytic synthesis, and synthetic fuel output.
Simplified atmospheric CO₂ to fuel process pathway
This simplified flow diagram highlights the main process stages: air enters the CO₂ filter, renewable energy powers the system, hydrogen is produced by electrolysis, and the fuel reactor combines CO₂ and hydrogen to create synthetic fuel for transport applications.
Synthetic hydrocarbons chemistry cycle
This circular visual shows the relationship between solar energy, electrolysis, CO₂, hydrogen, hydrocarbon synthesis, combustion, and the wider recycled-carbon loop.
The FFA Process
The FFA process in one view: atmospheric air is drawn through a CO₂ filter (powered by renewable energy), while water is split in a hydrogen electrolyser. The captured CO₂ and hydrogen are combined in the fuel reactor to synthesise a carbon-neutral liquid fuel — up to and including Jet A1 — with clean filtered air returned to the atmosphere. Roughly 1.1 MWh of input energy yields about one tonne of fuel per day.
Global Petrol Demand & Pump Prices (2026)
Global petrol demand and the cost of filling up vary enormously by country. The US alone burns over 1.3 billion litres of petrol a day, while the price to fill an average car ranges from under $10 in Turkmenistan and Venezuela to over $90 in Turkey. Synthetic hydrocarbons made from air, water and renewable electricity can displace this fossil demand with a drop-in, carbon-neutral fuel — produced locally, priced against local electricity rather than imported crude.
Sources: IEA Global Energy Review 2026; Global Petrol Prices 2026.
02
The Conversion Plant
A fully integrated, modular system designed for scale, efficiency, and real-world deployment.
View UK pilot plant →1. Capture
CO₂ captured from industrial sources or the atmosphere.
2. Electrolysis
Renewable electricity splits water to produce H₂.
3. Synthesis
CO₂ and H₂ converted to hydrocarbons over catalysts.
4. Distillation
Hydrocarbons refined into diesel, gasoline, kerosene, and more.
Diesel
Gasoline
Kerosene
Industrial feedstock
Plant gallery
UK Pilot Plant
A visual overview of the UK pilot plant, showing the modular installation, control area, process vessels, gas handling equipment, and the engineering hardware used in development and demonstration.
UK pilot plant block diagram
This full-width schematic gives a process overview of the UK pilot plant. It shows the sequence from the CO2 capture tower and CO2 release electrolyser through hydrogen electrolysis, gas compression and storage, and onward to methanol synthesis, methanol/water separation, and final petrol production. The diagram helps explain how the individual plant modules connect together as one integrated fuel-from-air system.
Main control room overview
A wide interior view of the UK pilot plant showing the blue control consoles, utility systems, and the integrated process layout inside the modular unit.
Process modules and pipework
Close-up of the pilot plant treatment section, featuring process vessels, clear chambers, service pipework, and green utility hoses.
Reaction vessel detail
Detail view of a large process vessel and associated piping, valves, and instrumentation within the pilot plant service bay.
Interior plant perspective
A broader perspective across the modular plant interior, showing the compact arrangement of process equipment and operator access areas.
Demonstration plant in operation
Foreground process chamber with the wider pilot plant visible beyond, illustrating the real-world operational environment of the UK system.
Gas handling manifold
Pressure vessels, stainless pipework, and instrumentation used for gas management, conditioning, and system control.
Control consoles and operator station
Blue angled control panels with gauges and manual controls used to monitor and operate the pilot plant safely.
Integrated process section
Another interior view showing transparent process vessels, support frames, and the integrated treatment and conversion hardware.
Fabricated reactor assembly
Custom-fabricated metal assembly representing the engineered process hardware developed for pilot-scale operation and testing.
Gas supply and utility skid
Outdoor support equipment, gas cylinders, and a blue utility module that supply services needed for pilot plant operation.
Pilot plant exterior site view
External view of the UK pilot plant installation, showing the modular containerised structure and associated tall process stack.
Container shell and observation window
Side elevation of the containerised pilot plant with access door, inspection window, and the rugged transportable enclosure.
Full-height process tower
A full external view of the UK pilot plant with its high vertical stack, illustrating the scale and modular deployment concept.
Pilot rig overview
Detailed view of the pilot plant interior, showing the control console, transparent process vessels, and integrated equipment used for capture and treatment operations.
External utility skid
Outdoor support equipment beside the containerized unit, including a blue service skid and vertical pressure vessel that support plant operation.
Operator console and process bay
Interior view down the operator side of the plant, with the blue control consoles, process hardware, and service connections arranged in a compact layout.
Longitudinal reactor bay
A longer perspective through the pilot plant showing the reactor bay, control panels, and supporting equipment installed within the modular container.
Raised process tower assembly
The full-height process tower shown during installation, illustrating the scale of the major vertical hardware associated with the pilot plant.
Gas manifold and storage vessels
Black and red pressure vessels, gauges, and line diagrams forming part of the gas handling and conditioning system.
Hydrogen control station
Blue Haskel pressure unit and hydrogen control panel used for gas management, regulation, and safe process operation.
Analytical control workstation
Instrumentation and touchscreen control interface used for plant supervision, monitoring, and analytical support.
Product handling rig
A dedicated equipment skid with feed tank, insulated process components, and product vessel used during pilot-scale testing and operation.
Design layout: gas storage area
Documented layout view of the gas storage and service manifold arrangement used in the UK pilot plant design package.
Design layout: analytical output
Screen capture from the plant analysis system showing process data and chromatographic output used for performance review.
Design layout: fabricated process assembly
Engineering layout view of a fabricated metallic process component developed for pilot-scale testing and fluid handling.
Design layout: gas supply skid
Documented view of the gas cylinder and utility skid area supporting pilot plant services and feed supply.
Design layout: site installation
Project layout image showing the modular plant on site together with the associated vertical stack and external pipework.
Design layout: container side elevation
Side elevation of the containerized pilot unit, showing the access door, window section, and transportable outer shell.
Operational process rig view
Another documented interior view highlighting the pilot process rig, utility piping, and equipment arrangement under operating conditions.
Power unit and control cabinet
Power electronics and control cabinet for the UK pilot plant, showing the electrical control hardware used to manage plant operation, monitoring and process power distribution.
03
The Business Case
A compelling solution at the intersection of climate responsibility and commercial value.
See the numbers →| Section | Source / Process | Claim or Calculation | Quantity | Unit | Notes / Formula Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Physics of Transportation | Zero-ethanol gasoline | 1 gallon produces | 17.4 | lbs CO2 | Per gallon of fuel |
| The Physics of Transportation | Diesel | 1 gallon produces | 22.0 | lbs CO2 | Per gallon of fuel |
| The Physics of Transportation | Passenger car | Each passenger car produces | 8,188.0 | lbs CO2 / year | Base 12,000 miles/year and 25.5 mpg |
| The Physics of Transportation | USA ground transportation | CO2 produced during 2015 | 1,700.0 | million tons CO2 | USA ground transportation |
| The Physics of Transportation | Worldwide flights | CO2 produced during 2015 | 770.0 | million tons CO2 | Flights around the world |
| FFA Air to Fuel Synthesis | FFA gasoline production | Producing 1 gallon consumes | 28.0 | lbs CO2 | CO2 consumed during synthesis |
| FFA Air to Fuel Synthesis | FFA gasoline production | Producing 1 gallon vents | 20.1 | lbs O2 | Oxygen vented back to atmosphere |
| FFA Air to Fuel Synthesis | Car using FFA fuel | Each car will remove | 13,176.0 | lbs CO2 / year | Base 470.6 gallons/year × 28 lbs CO2/gallon |
| FFA Air to Fuel Synthesis | USA car fleet using FFA fuel | Fleet will remove | 2,423.0 | million tons CO2 / year | USA car fleet |
| FFA Air to Fuel Synthesis | World aircraft fleet using FFA fuel | Fleet will remove | 1,097.0 | million tons CO2 / year | World aircraft fleet |
| Metric | Value | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline CO2 production | 17.4 | lbs CO2 / gallon | Zero-ethanol gasoline |
| FFA CO2 consumption | 28.0 | lbs CO2 / gallon | Per gallon of FFA gasoline produced |
| Net CO2 benefit vs gasoline production | 45.4 | lbs CO2 / gallon | FFA consumption plus avoided gasoline emissions |
| Annual gasoline use per passenger car | 470.6 | gallons/year | 12,000 miles/year ÷ 25.5 mpg |
| Annual CO2 removal per FFA car | 13,176 | lbs CO2/year | Annual gallons × 28 lbs CO2/gallon |
CO₂ extraction and the transportation business case
This slide explains the scale of the opportunity behind air-to-fuel synthesis. It compares the CO₂ released by conventional gasoline, diesel, passenger cars and aviation with the proposed AFC fuel pathway, where producing fuel consumes captured CO₂ and returns oxygen to the atmosphere. The meaning for Section 03 is that the business case is not only fuel production: it is also carbon removal, transport-sector decarbonisation, and a route to cleaner liquid fuels for cars, aircraft and other hard-to-electrify applications.
Abundant, Low-Cost Feedstock
CO₂ is abundant and increasingly expensive to emit — turning an emission liability into a valuable raw material.
Leverages Existing Infrastructure
Drop-in hydrocarbons can work with existing refineries, pipelines, storage, and engines.
Premium Markets
Produces high-value fuels for transportation, aviation, marine, and industrial applications.
04
Applications
Drop-in fuels for the world's most critical sectors and systems.
Explore applications →
BBC Review of the Factory in UK
BBC review of the factory presented in the gasoline box below. International interest in the results sparked media and investor interest.
BBC Filming of the First Results
Renewable gasoline for cars and sports vehicles tuned to get maximum engine performance.
Video clip added to the Gasoline application box, showing the AFS / Fuel From Air material as supporting media for liquid fuel applications.
Kerosene / Jet Fuel
From the very beginning, one of our key motivations was to create fuel from air for helicopter operations — an ambitious and highly demanding challenge. Tony set out to meet that challenge head-on, and through his determination, belief, and perseverance, we have seen the first signs of real success.
The concept has now been proven, and the process has been demonstrated. Our task is to take this achievement forward and show the world an alternative pathway to a more sustainable future — producing aviation fuel, gasoline for cars, diesel for trucks, trains and ships, and fuel for heating applications.
Industrial Uses
Synthetic man-made fuels can be used in industry not only as energy sources but also as feedstocks for making chemicals, lubricants, solvents, and other valuable products. Through processes like Fischer–Tropsch synthesis or methanol production, synthetic fuels can be converted into hydrocarbons and chemical building blocks used in manufacturing plastics, detergents, adhesives, coatings, and synthetic rubber.
They are also important in producing high-quality lubricants, specialty waxes, solvents, and industrial fluids because synthetic fuel processes can create very pure and consistent chemical compounds. This makes them useful where performance, cleanliness, and reliability are required, such as in machinery, aviation, automotive applications, pharmaceuticals, paints, and electronics manufacturing. Overall, synthetic man-made fuels support industry by providing flexible raw materials that can reduce dependence on crude oil and help create cleaner, more controlled industrial products.
P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L P = ½ ρ A v³ E = ½ m v² Cp ≤ 0.593 P = ½ ρ A v³ Cp KE = ½ m v² λ = ωR / v f(v) = (k/c)(v/c)^{k-1} e^{-(v/c)^k} AEP = Σ P(vᵢ)·h(vᵢ) η = E_out / E_in CO₂ + H₂ → CO + H₂O (2n+1)H₂ + nCO → CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ + nH₂O LHV ÷ η = kWh/L
Fuel Production
Fuel Production Estimate
Fuel From Air converts renewable electricity into synthetic liquid fuel — diesel, gasoline or kerosene — drawn from air and water through electrolysis and Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. These calculators estimate the electricity cost per litre/gallon of fuel, and how much fuel can be produced per year from a given renewable energy supply, including the atmospheric CO₂ drawn in and the O₂ released.
Where It Works
Building The Case For Fuel From Air
Liquid fuel synthesised from captured CO₂ and renewable hydrogen is a drop-in replacement for diesel, petrol and kerosene — storable, transportable, and usable in the engines and infrastructure the world already runs on. It is most powerful where clean electricity is abundant but a grid connection is not, turning surplus renewable energy into fuel that can be stored indefinitely and moved anywhere.
Farms & Agriculture
Turn on-site wind and solar into diesel for tractors, harvesters and irrigation pumps. Farms become fuel-independent, producing their own carbon-neutral diesel from the air above their own land instead of trucking it in.
Islands & Remote Communities
Islands pay a heavy premium to import fuel by ship. Local Fuel From Air plants powered by wind and solar replace that supply chain entirely — energy security from local air, water and renewable power, with no tanker dependence.
Transport & Aviation
Cars, trucks, ships and aircraft are hard to electrify. Synthetic diesel, petrol and Jet A burn in existing engines with no modification, giving heavy transport and aviation a genuine path to carbon-neutral operation today.
Regenerative & Self-Powered Machines
Pair the synthesiser with on-site renewables to create machines that make their own fuel — closed-loop systems where captured carbon becomes fuel, the fuel does work, and the released CO₂ is captured again.
Energy Storage & Grid Balancing
Surplus renewable power that would otherwise be curtailed is converted into liquid fuel — a high-density, long-duration store that holds energy for months, not hours, and dispatches it on demand.
Industrial Feedstock & Heat
Beyond fuel, the synthetic hydrocarbons serve as clean feedstock for chemicals, lubricants and solvents, and as process heat for industry — displacing fossil crude across the wider economy.
← Back to Fuel Production
← Back to Fuel Production
Inputs
| Electricity Price | |
| Currency | |
| Volume Unit | |
| Process Efficiency 67% |
Calculated Results
Electricity Cost per Litre
Fuel Volume Produced per kWh
Basis & Assumptions
Fuel energy content uses lower heating value (LHV): diesel 9.94, gasoline/petrol 8.89, kerosene/Jet A 9.48 kWh/L. Electricity required per unit = LHV ÷ process efficiency. US gallon = 3.78541 L. Figures show the electricity component only — capital, CO₂ capture and operating costs are excluded. Source equations adapted from www.fuelfromair.com.
Wind electricity can be converted into synthetic liquid fuel — diesel, gasoline or kerosene — from air and water via electrolysis and Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. These calculators estimate the electricity cost per litre/gallon of fuel, and how much fuel a single Carter Model 300 turbine can make per year, including the atmospheric CO₂ drawn in and O₂ released. Ported from steveclamp.com.
← Back to Fuel ProductionInputs
| Location | |
| Site Wind Speed | |
| Turbine Purchase Price | |
| Currency | |
| Volume Unit | |
| Consumer Price (kWh) value of wind power/yr | |
| Wind Contractor Price (kWh) power-company contract income | |
| Capital Payback (yrs) | |
| Process Efficiency 67% |
Turbine Energy Capture
Annual Fuel Produced per Turbine
CWT Model 300 Power Curve
Annual Fuel Volume per Turbine
Wind Rose — Directional Frequency
Capital + Maintenance Cost per L — 10 Year Profile
Analysis
Basis & Assumptions
Power output follows a 4th-order fit to the CWT Model 300 power curve (cut-in 4 m/s, rated ≈290 kW, cut-out 24 m/s). Annual energy integrates the curve against a Rayleigh wind distribution over 8,760 h/yr. Fuel uses the same LHV figures and efficiency as the estimate tab. CO₂ absorbed and O₂ released follow synthesis stoichiometry (≈2.3–2.6 kg CO₂ in, ≈2.6–2.8 kg O₂ out per litre); carbon is re-emitted on combustion, so the cycle is carbon-neutral. Cost = capital recovered over the payback years + 5% annual maintenance. Indicative engineering estimate only. Source equations adapted from www.fuelfromair.com.
Wind electricity can be converted into synthetic liquid fuel — diesel, gasoline or kerosene — from air and water via electrolysis and Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. These calculators estimate the electricity cost per litre/gallon of fuel, and how much fuel a single Carter Model 300 turbine can make per year, including the atmospheric CO₂ drawn in and O₂ released. Ported from steveclamp.com.
← Back to Fuel ProductionInputs
| Location | |
| Consumer Price | per kWh |
| Contractor Price | per kWh |
| Currency | |
| Volume Unit | |
| Synthesis Efficiency | 68% |
Location Energy
Annual Fuel Produced
Electricity Cost per Unit
Annual Fuel Volume
Analysis
Basis & Assumptions
Uses each location’s modelled annual energy availability, costed at the consumer electricity price per kWh shown above (pre-filled from local tariffs, editable). Fuel volumes assume the selected synthesis efficiency converting electricity to liquid fuel via electrolysis and Fischer–Tropsch. Figures are indicative only. Source equations adapted from www.fuelfromair.com.
← Back to Fuel Production
Consumer / Contractor Price Ratio — Top 10 & Bottom 10
Annual Fuel Production — Top 10 & Bottom 10
Fuel Production by Country
Top 10 & Bottom 10 — Bar
Top 10 & Bottom 10 — Profile
06
The Team
Meet the team, with dedicated sections for Dr Steve Clamp and Professor Tony Marmont.
Contact the team →
Team section
Dr Steve Clamp
Steve has devoted more than 30 years to aerospace development, with particular expertise in aerospace vehicle design and structural analysis across both military and civil aerospace engineering programs.
Throughout his career, Steve has worked with some of the world’s leading aerospace organizations, including Boeing, Airbus, British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce Aero Engines. More recently, he has been involved in the new space race, contributing to major launch vehicle programs including SLS and New Glenn.
Steve first joined forces with Professor Tony Marmont in 1992, when he became Chief Engineer at Carter Wind Turbines. He was rapidly promoted to Managing Director, and his close collaboration with Tony has continued ever since.
As the North American partner for Fuel From Air, Steve has presented the FFA business model to several major corporations, helping to build international awareness of the technology and its commercial potential.
Steve’s main motivation is to introduce and develop Fuel From Air technology in regions that are currently heavily dependent on, and constrained by, the dominant fossil-fuel industry. His focus is on practical deployment, engineering credibility and creating an alternative pathway for communities and industries that need cleaner, more secure access to liquid fuels.
The hangar roof is a cable‑supported structure intentionally engineered with suspended load paths. Stockbridge dampers were integrated onto the primary suspension cables to suppress vortex‑induced vibrations and prevent coupling with the helicopter’s blade‑passing frequency (BPF). This mitigation strategy shifts the roof’s structural mode shapes upward, ensuring the natural frequency band remains well clear of rotor‑induced excitation.
During approach, a dual‑impulse command on the mic‑tell interface actuates the automated access sequence: the hangar doors open and the landing platform extends. Once the aircraft is inside, a second dual‑impulse command closes the doors and secures the enclosure.
I’ve operated this helicopter with Tony on long‑range flights—from northern Scotland down to southern London—and the platform consistently demonstrates excellent handling characteristics and system reliability
During approach, a dual‑impulse command on the mic‑tell interface actuates the automated access sequence: the hangar doors open and the landing platform extends. Once the aircraft is inside, a second dual‑impulse command closes the doors and secures the enclosure.
I’ve operated this helicopter with Tony on long‑range flights—from northern Scotland down to southern London—and the platform consistently demonstrates excellent handling characteristics and system reliability
West Beacon Farm · Loughborough
Memorable Person · Wind Energy Pioneer
Professor Tony Marmont
DSc · DTech · Energy Medal for Lifetime Achievement
Few people did more to bring small and medium wind generation into the UK than Professor Tony Marmont. After making his fortune in soft drinks and plastics, he turned his energy toward renewable generation following the 1970s oil crisis — and quickly recognised that practical, distributed wind power was central to any credible energy transition.
In the early 1990s Tony acquired the rights to the American Carter Wind Turbines technology and backed the establishment of Carter Wind Turbines UK — making it one of the few British-owned companies producing 300 kW class machines. The Carter machines were unusual for their time: two-bladed, soft-tower, downwind designs that prioritised energy capture over conformity to the dominant three-blade European norm. Great Orton wind farm in Cumbria — Britain's only farm of Carter turbines — became the operational legacy of that effort.
Tony then founded Beacon Energy in 1992 as a not-for-profit organisation and turned West Beacon Farm near Loughborough into one of the world's most complete working demonstrations of an integrated renewable energy network — combining wind turbines, photovoltaics, ground-source heat pumps, hydrogen storage with electrolysers and fuel cells, hydro generation and CHP, all feeding a common DC bus.
He endowed renewable energy research centres at three universities, including CREST at Loughborough, AMSET at De Montfort, and the renewable energy programme at the University of Nottingham.
Steve Clamp is honoured to have known Tony as a mentor, collaborator, and friend. His pragmatic, evidence-led approach to wind turbine engineering — and his refusal to be deterred by conventional wisdom — remain a constant influence on the Fuel From Air programme.
Carter Wind Turbines UK
Beacon Energy
West Beacon Farm
CREST
AMSET
Tony Guest Lecture, Engineers Without Borders (EWB) - Warwick University.
Text adapted from the uploaded SteveClamp Memorable People section.