Clean Planet Bags US and Saudi Patents for Pyrolysis Oil Breakthrough

Clean Planet Technologies has chalked up another milestone, with its pyrolysis‑oil upgrading process now patented in both the United States and Saudi Arabia. The move builds on a UK patent first granted in 2022 and gives the company wider protection for a method that sits at the heart of its Plastics‑to‑SAF ambitions. I remember chatting with a group of young founders at an Arageek workshop last year who were obsessed with waste‑to‑fuel ideas, and honestly… developments like this are exactly the kind of nudge that keeps that energy alive.

At its core, the technology tackles the messy business of turning low‑grade, unpredictable pyrolysis oils—essentially the oily output you get when you break down waste plastics—into ultra‑low sulphur fuels and cleaner petrochemical inputs. CPTech uses a mix of fractional condensation, hydrotreating and distillation to stabilise the oil and strip out impurities. Sounds a bit of a faff, but it solves a long‑standing headache: untreated pyrolysis oil is unstable, oxygen‑heavy and full of metals, which makes it a nightmare for refineries.

What’s interesting is how the company is repositioning this process. It was originally designed to support marine fuels, naphtha and ultra‑low sulphur diesel, but it’s now a core part of CPTech’s Plastics‑to‑SAF programme. That shift became clearer when CEO Dr Andrew Odjo presented what he described as the UK’s first Plastics‑to‑SAF pathway at the SAF Global Summit earlier this year. As he put it, “Reliable, consistent upgrading of plastic‑derived oils is essential if we are to diversify SAF feedstocks.” And he’s spot on; relying only on bio‑based sources won’t cut it as demand grows.

The patents also come at a crucial time. CPTech is preparing to commission its first pilot facility in early 2026, which will be the first proper test of its SAFe‑P2SAF system outside the slide decks. With new SAF mandates kicking in across the UK and Europe, airlines are scrambling for viable feedstocks. On the flip side, I reckon the plastics angle will raise eyebrows—turning difficult waste into jet fuel can sound almost too neat—but the pressure on supply chains means alternative circular sources are finally getting the attention they deserve.

Dr Odjo has said the patent was “never just about improving diesel” but about unlocking a circular path for plastics. And believe it or not, that’s a space where the Middle East could play a bigger role, especially with Saudi Arabia now part of the IP protection footprint. CPTech’s COO, Dr Katerina Garyfalou, added that scaling low‑carbon fuels “requires more than good science”; it needs certainty and strong commercial footing. She's definately right about that—tech breakthroughs alone rarely carry an industry forward.

With more announcements expected later this year, CPTech seems intent on building not just the tech but the legal scaffolding needed to expand globally. For founders watching this space—especially those we meet through Arageek who dream of circular solutions—it's a reminder that innovation is only half the journey. Securing the ground beneath your feet matters just as much.

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