United Airlines creates history by flying commercial flight using 100% sustainable fuel

On Wednesday, US-based carrier United Airlines made history in the aviation history when it flew the first commercial aircraft using 100% sustainable fuel in one of two engines. The plane took off from Chicago's O'Hare airport and landed in Washington. The aircraft's jet engine 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. 

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 as reported by ANI. 

World Energy provided sustainable aviation fuel to Airlines

It should be mentioned here that World Energy, North America's only commercial biofuel manufacturer, provided the fuel. Meanwhile, United has committed to buying nearly twice as much sustainable aviation fuel as any other airline. According to the company, sustainable aviation fuel is the fastest and most efficient way to reduce emissions generated by aircraft.

United's Eco-Skies Alliance programme began in April 2021 and has since helped to the purchase of almost 7 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel this year alone. When compared to traditional jet fuel, sustainable aviation fuel reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by roughly 80% on a lifecycle basis, which is enough to eliminate around 66,000 metric tonnes of GHG emissions, according to a report by Biodiesel Magazine. Meanwhile, the company has agreed to buy 1.5 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel from Alder Fuels, which is enough to fly more than 57 million passengers. United is also a shareholder in Fulcrum BioEnergy, where it has the option to buy up to 900 million gallons of additional sustainable aviation fuel. 

(With ANI inputs)

Image: Twitter/@united