Posted July 1, 2015
United Airlines
will soon use biofuel made from animal oil and by-products as early as this
summer, according to a Daily Mail article available here.
The New York Times also published an article available here
and KMBZ here.
This is
the biggest deal to date with a company producing biofuel derived from
municipal solid waste, or household garbage, to run alongside an existing
contract with another biofuel manufacturer.
Next week
United plans to announce a $30 million investment into Fulcrum BioEnergy -
which uses materials such as paper, plastics, textiles, wood and more that is
currently disposed of in landfill to make biofuel.
As part of
the investment, United will also have the opportunity to purchase up to 90
million gallons of sustainable fuel from Fulcrum for a minimum of 10 years.
Fulcrum's first alternative fuels plant is expected to begin commercial
operation in 2017, according to KMBZ.
United's
Executive Vice President and General Counsel Brett Hart said in a statement
that "alternative fuels is an emerging industry that is vital to the
future of aviation." The investment, he says, "is just one of our
intiiatives to help make these fuels saleable and scalable."
"Investing
in alternative fuels is not only good for the environment," Hart
continued, "it's a smart move for our company as biofuels have the
potential to hedge against future oil price volatility and carbon
regulations."
United’s deal is the airline’s second major push toward alternative fuels. In 2013, the airline agreed to buy 15 million gallons of biofuels over three years from a California-based producer called AltAir Fuels, which makes biofuels out of nonedible natural oils and agricultural waste, according to The New York Times.
United’s deal is the airline’s second major push toward alternative fuels. In 2013, the airline agreed to buy 15 million gallons of biofuels over three years from a California-based producer called AltAir Fuels, which makes biofuels out of nonedible natural oils and agricultural waste, according to The New York Times.
For the
first two weeks, four to five flights a day will carry a fuel mixture that is
30 percent biofuel and 70 percent traditional jet fuel then, the fuel will be
blended into the overall supply. The flight will have very little differences
for passengers, but for the airlines and the biofuels industry, the flight will
represent a long-awaited milestone: the first time a domestic airline operates
regular passenger flights using an alternative jet fuel.
For more information on the Renewable Energy, please visit
the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
