CHICAGO: United Airlines has established itself as a global leader in reducing the carbon footprint of the aviation industry. On Wednesday, December 1, United Airlines operated the first-ever commercial/passenger flight on 100 per cent sustainable fuel in one of two engines. The flight took off from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and landed in Washington D.C.
The airline became first in the world to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in its normal operations in 2016, mixing it with conventional jet fuel in the same engine. Since then, the carrier has committed to using SAF, purchasing nearly double the amount known to have been purchased by all global carriers combined. After five years of preparation, carrier made the history again. World Energy, North America’s sole commercial biofuel producer, supplied the fuel to it.
The jet engine of the aircraft was fueled with non-petroleum feedstocks which unlike petroleum, uses leftovers from agriculture, wood mills and other sources. Moreover, sustainable aviation fuels have the potential to provide the same performance as petroleum-based jet fuel while emitting a fraction of the carbon dioxide. Scott Kirby, CEO, United Airlines, who was among the 100 passengers on the Wednesday flight, said that this SAF flight is not only a significant milestone in the industry’s efforts to decarbonise but when combined with the surge in commitments to produce and purchase alternative fuels, they are trying to demonstrate a scalable and impactful way for businesses to join together and play a role in addressing the greatest challenge of our time.