Advancing Sustainable Aviation: World Energy’s Vision
World Energy is a low-carbon solutions provider dedicated to helping the world’s leading companies achieve their net-zero targets and sustainability commitments. Its portfolio includes sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel, and renewable naphtha, with future plans to produce renewable propane and green hydrogen.
Gene Gebolys, World Energy’s CEO, joins us to discuss the evolution of sustainable fuel alternatives and the company’s entry into the SAF sector. “Ever since I graduated in 1996, I’ve been fascinated by the idea that fossil-based diesel could be replaced with a cleaner, renewable alternative,” he begins. “I quickly realized that this industry wasn’t just about making the product but about creating the market itself. That led me to work within the U.S. political framework to establish policies promoting biodiesel.
“I founded World Energy in 1998 to support the growth of cleaner advanced biofuels. Our approach was centered on customer engagement and distribution while building supply through contract manufacturing. It was still a niche market at the time, but we managed to capture around 75 percent of the market share in our early years. In 2003, we transitioned into manufacturing ourselves, producing fuel for export to Europe and establishing a global footprint.”
Navigating Policy Shifts
“Our business is largely shaped by regional and national policies. In 2008, a major shift occurred when European regulations introduced barriers to importing U.S.-based material,” Gene recalls. “At the same time, the Renewable Fuel Standard was introduced in the U.S., so we adapted to align with these evolving policies.”
A pivotal moment for World Energy came in 2018 when it acquired a biofuel refinery in Los Angeles, marking its entry into the SAF market. “California was at the forefront of advanced biofuels policy and market trends, making the refinery’s location a strategic choice to meet the growing demand for SAF,” Gene explains.
“Although we had been in business for 20 years, this was a new challenge. Aviation is particularly difficult to decarbonize because the only way to do it is through the fuel tank. While SAF is more expensive than traditional jet fuel, it’s the only true solution to significantly reducing aviation emissions. This required us to develop a new economic model where revenue comes from the decarbonization process itself, rather than propulsion alone.”
A Major Expansion
“The same year we purchased the refinery—2018—we also launched an ambitious expansion project, which is now well underway. We expect full operational capability by late 2026, with an investment exceeding $2 billion. Our goal is to create the most advanced renewable-focused refinery in the world, with SAF as the primary output, directly connected to Los Angeles International Airport via pipeline.”
“But SAF is only half of the equation. We needed a way to scale the impact globally, beyond just flights departing from LAX. This led us to a key innovation—separating the carbon reduction attributes of the fuel from the fuel itself, allowing the emission reductions to be transferred worldwide.”
Gene elaborates: “Fuel molecules have two functions: they propel aircraft from point A to point B, and they reduce carbon intensity. To make this financially viable, we needed a system where we are compensated for the decarbonization work, not just for providing fuel.”
“Decoupling the fuel itself from its decarbonization benefits is arguably our company’s most significant breakthrough. This enabled us to sell the emissions reduction impact of SAF anywhere in the world, regardless of where the fuel is physically used.”
Integrity with Book & Claim
“We’ve always stayed ahead of markets that are still taking shape, and our focus is on building frameworks that drive long-term value. One critical aspect of this is ensuring the integrity of our decarbonization process. We partnered with nonprofit organizations and our customers to develop a traceable, high-integrity system called Book & Claim.”
“With Book & Claim, customers purchase a specified amount of decarbonization, which equates to actual SAF gallons. By funding the decarbonization process, they cover the cost premium of SAF production and claim the environmental benefits.
“For example, Microsoft isn’t taking physical delivery of the fuel. Our plant is near LAX, so the most efficient use of the fuel occurs there or at nearby airports. Book & Claim ensures that the SAF they helped finance enters the jet fuel supply chain. Regardless of which airline uses it, only Microsoft can claim the emissions reduction, as they were responsible for expanding SAF supply. This system helps global companies efficiently meet their carbon reduction targets.”
Decarbonizing Aviation and Beyond
World Energy demonstrated SAF’s potential by fueling the first transatlantic flight powered by 100 percent SAF in November 2023, in partnership with Gulfstream. “The concept of decoupling emissions reduction from fuel delivery provides a scalable framework for the entire aviation industry to decarbonize,” Gene highlights.
Beyond SAF, World Energy is expanding into green hydrogen. “Our approach to new projects is shaped by continuous improvement. While working on SAF, we identified an opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint of the hydrogen used in hydroprocessing.”
“We explored ways to lower the carbon intensity of hydrogen production and collaborated with Air Products to develop cleaner hydrogen solutions. Our primary feedstock for hydrogen comes from biogenic gases, which are naturally generated as a byproduct of our fuel production. Instead of allowing these gases to be emitted, we capture and reintegrate them into the hydrogen production process.”
Looking to the Future
As our conversation draws to a close, Gene reflects on the company’s journey. “It’s interesting—we don’t feel like we’ve accomplished something major yet. We’ve spent 25 years refining our expertise and preparing for what’s next. By separating the decarbonization and propulsion functions of fuel molecules, we’re unlocking immense economic potential that will benefit society over the next decade.”
“We’ll continue finding efficient ways to help businesses worldwide leverage our technology and decarbonize—even in the most challenging industries,” he concludes. “For instance, we’re currently working with European partners to optimize the import of Canadian green hydrogen for clean steel production. Ultimately, our mission remains the same: delivering real, traceable value to our customers while advancing global decarbonization.”