United Airlines recently became the first airline ever to fly the first commercial aircraft with 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel in one of two engines. The Washington-bound plane that took off from Chicago was powered by non-petroleum feedstocks, which, unlike petroleum, are made up of waste from agriculture, wood mills, and other resources.
“Aviation history is cleared for takeoff. The world’s first passenger flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is en route to @Reagan_Airport [sic]," the company wrote on Twitter.
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According to the company, one of United’s new Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes, carrying 100 passengers, flew with 500 gallons of sustainable fuel in one engine and 500 gallons of regular jet fuel in the other. Sustainable aviation fuels offer the ability to match the performance of petroleum-based jet fuel while emitting a fraction of the CO2.
“Today’s (Dec 1) SAF flight is not only a significant milestone for efforts to decarbonize our industry, but when combined with the surge in commitments to produce and purchase alternative fuels, we’re demonstrating the scalable and impactful way companies can join together and play a role in addressing the biggest challenge of our lifetimes," United CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement.
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United’s Eco-Skies Alliance program was launched in April 2021 and now has collectively contributed toward the purchase of more than 7 million gallons of SAF this year alone. With its nearly 80% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions on a lifecycle basis compared to conventional jet fuel, this is enough SAF to eliminate approximately 66,000 metric tons of GHG emissions, or enough to fly passengers more than 460 million miles. Including today’s newly announced participants, the program has nearly 30 participants including companies like DHL Global Forwarding, HP Inc. and Nike.
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