Texas Startup and Eskasoni First Nation Partner to Produce Aviation Fuel from Seawater in Nova Scotia
Aeon Blue, a clean-technology startup founded in Texas, has partnered with the Eskasoni First Nation to establish eFuels Mi’kmaq Limited. The joint venture plans to build a pilot facility in Sydney Harbour, Nova Scotia, to produce sustainable aviation fuel from seawater using renewable electricity, with operations expected to begin in early 2027.
Aeon Blue, a clean-technology startup founded in Texas in 2018 by siblings Lark Meadow and Deois Ua Cearnaigh, has partnered with the Eskasoni First Nation to establish eFuels Mi’kmaq Limited. The joint venture is building a pilot production facility on Eskasoni land at an industrial park in Sydney Harbour, Nova Scotia, to produce sustainable aviation fuel from seawater. The venture is believed to be the first clean fuels company in Canada majority-owned by a Mi'kmaq First Nation.
Eskasoni is investing $1.5 million in the $4-million project. The partnership began after Lark Meadow cold-called Eskasoni CEO Steve Parsons, leading to a memorandum of understanding signed after roughly six months of relationship development.
The technology uses electricity to separate hydrogen from seawater and captures carbon dioxide to produce synthetic fuels compatible with existing aircraft engines. Deois Ua Cearnaigh developed the technology after spending more than 20 years studying clean fuels, hydrogen, and carbon removal at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The patented process produces hydrogen and sodium hydroxide from saltwater; the sodium hydroxide helps capture CO2 from the air, which is then used for synthetic fuel production or stored and sold as feedstock.
The initial pilot is expected to begin operating in early 2027 and will produce about one tonne of fuel annually. A second phase in 2028 is expected to increase annual production capacity to about 30 tonnes. The company targets 2030 or 2031 for a commercial facility on a coastal property in Cape Breton.
The joint venture plans to train up to 12 Eskasoni members initially, with potential for up to 80 full-time jobs in the larger commercial development. Training will cover engineering, operations, and management, creating economic opportunities for Eskasoni First Nation members and contributing to the establishment of a clean-energy sector in Nova Scotia.