The carrier reached an agreement with AltAir Fuels back in 2013 to buy biofuel produced using Honeywell UOP’s renewable jet fuel processing technology: this converts non-edible animal fats and oils into fuel.
Overall, around 12,500 flights are planned with this mixture and the first flights to benefit got underway on March 11.
This isn’t exactly revolutionary news because regular readers will know that US airlines have operated alternative fuel flights before; however, this will mark the first time that a US carrier has employed an alternative fuel to power scheduled flights on a regular basis. Similarly, Southwest Airlines and FedEx Express have both agreements with Red Rock Biofuels to purchase fuel produced from woody biomass.
United’s deal will see it buy 5m gallons of the fuel from AltAir on an annual basis. It also has a long-term agreement with Fulcrum BioEnergy that will allow it to buy at least 90m gallons of sustainable jet fuel annually for a minimum of ten years, starting in 2018.
