Dairy Manure Turns to Jet Fuel in Pilot
Dairy operators and rural landowners could see new biogas projects as the pilot moves toward commercial scale.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
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Should the US government fund more fuel production from farm manure?
Circularity Fuels closed a $7 million seed round, led by Trucks Venture Capital and DCVC, to develop jet fuel from dairy biogas. Sum Ventures and Automotive Ventures also participated, and the company's application for a USDA Section 9003 loan guarantee advanced to Phase 2 of review.
Why it matters
Large US livestock operations produce nearly a trillion pounds of manure a year, yet fewer than 6% of the resulting biogas is captured. Turning that methane-rich gas into aviation fuel is a route for farms to generate a new revenue stream while aviation seeks lower-carbon fuel supply.
The conversion met ASTM D7566 Annex A1 jet fuel specifications in a six-month pilot at a dairy near Madera, California. The company projects commercial capital costs about one-fifth of those for European jet fuel plants.
The players
Circularity Fuels
A sustainable aviation fuel developer that converts dairy biogas into jet fuel using its Ouro reactor.
Trucks Venture Capital
A venture firm that led the seed round for Circularity Fuels.
DCVC
A venture firm that co-led the seed round for Circularity Fuels.
The details
Circularity converts biogas from dairy manure into sustainable aviation fuel using its electrified Ouro reactor. The company says its modular systems are designed to produce liquid fuel on the farm itself. Results were validated over the six-month pilot before the company announced the June conversion milestone. Circularity plans to use the new funding to support a demonstration plant that will produce jet fuel daily.
Timeline
June: Circularity announced that its converted jet fuel met ASTM specifications.
Six-month pilot period: conversion results were validated at a dairy near Madera, California.
Next 18 months: funding supports a demonstration plant and commercial plant engineering design.
The Home Front
Dairy biogas capture at US livestock operations remains low, with fewer than 6% of resulting biogas captured from manure. The funding and loan-guarantee review place this project within USDA's federal financing track for renewable fuel production.
If you own a home with livestock or a rural property near a dairy, watch for local announcements about biogas projects that could affect nearby land use. Renters and homeowners who drive or fly will not see direct changes to their household costs from this round alone.
The takeaway
Dairy manure is an underused energy source, and this pilot shows it can yield jet-grade fuel. Households near agricultural operations may want to keep an eye on local biogas developments as projects move from pilot to commercial scale.
Further reading
For more on the vehicle side of cleaner transport, see Electric Vehicles coverage in our automotive section.
Live Poll
Should the US government fund more fuel production from farm manure?
