CHICAGO, IL - Coming to a plane near you, United Airlines has announced they will now be using biofuel generated from farm waste and animal fats to power some of their flights.
The New York Times reports that United is planning to announce a $30 million investment in one of the largest producers of aviation biofuels, Fulcrum BioEnergy. This will reportedly be the biggest investment so far by any domestic airline in alternative fuels.
“We know alternative fuels is an emerging industry that is vital to the future of aviation and this is just one of our initiatives to help make these fuels saleable and scalable,” United’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel Brett Hart told the Daily Mail. “Investing in alternative fuels is not only good for the environment, it’s a smart move for our company as biofuels have the potential to hedge against future oil price volatility and carbon regulations.”
Fulcrum, based out of California, has developed a technology that turns waste, including household trash, into sustainable aviation fuel that can be blended directly with traditional jet fuels. The New York Times reports that it is currently building a biofuel refinery in Nevada to open in 2017, and has plans for five more plants around the country.
Fulcrum believes its technology can cut an airline’s carbon emissions by as much as 80 percent compared with traditional jet fuel, and plans to introduce the new biofuel slowly over time. The company predicts they’ll be able to make the fuel at a cost of less than $1 a gallon, an over $1 decrease in cost from the company’s current fuel costs.
The first flights to use this fuel will be out of Los Angeles' LAX airport.
