Fly the Eco-Friendly Skies: United to Launch 50% Jet Biofuels on LAX-SFO Route

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, United Airlines will be using jet biofuels produced by AltAir using Honeywell UOP technology on up to 150 flights a day out of Los Angeles, the Digest has learned. March 11.

A two week, 14-day Los Angeles to San Francisco service will launch United’s jet biofuels plan. After the first two weeks, “pretty much all flights out of LAX will have a component of biofuel,” said a person familiar with the United plan. Flights are expected to begin almost immediately.

Depending on the feedstock used, Honeywell Green Jet Fuel can offer a 65 to 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with petroleum-based jet fuel, which helps refiners meet EPA mandates for renewable transportation fuel content. It’s also being delivered at a price comparable to petroleum fuel, marking a major milestone towards the widespread use of renewables fuel.

United will purchase up to 15 million gallons of sustainable aviation biofuel from AltAir over a three-year period, with the option to purchase more.

Last summer, the Disney Transportation bus fleet became one of the first in the country to run on R50, a cleaner renewable diesel (RD) made from used cooking oil and non-consumable food waste. Then, in January the US Navy’s Great Green Fleet sailed on its 2016 mission, using green marine diesel. Now, United takes off with renewable jet fuel — all made using the same technology.

“These very public users highlight the fact they the fuels are commercially available, and to have three different modes of jet, marine and road sends a positive message about the technology,” Honeywell UOP renewables czarina Veronica May told The Digest.

It’s been a long road, we note. But not as long as, for example, the path to getting lead out of fuels, May noted.

“Anyone who’s been in the business knows that changes in fuels take years and decades. When you look back, it took 30 years to remove lead. There was the Clean Air Act in 1970 which set the target, but it wasn’t until 1986 that we had all of the lead removed for road transport, and 1990 for all vehicles, and Europe took another 10 years to get the lead out. We’re 10 years into the Renewable Fuel Standard. and obviously the low oil price is rocking the financial market, but these projects are years in the making, and a blip in the price will slow but not stop the momentum.” READ MORE and MORE (Chicago Tribune) and MORE (United Airlines) and MORE (PublicNow.com) and MORE (Los Angeles Times) and MORE (Renewable Energy World) and MORE (Treehugger) and MORE (Popular Mechanics) and MORE (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) and MORE (Biofuels Digest) and MORE (PR Newswire/United Airlines) and MORE (Global Traveler) and MORE (EarthTechling)

Excerpt from Los Angeles Times: A Boeing 737 jet that took off from Los Angeles International Airport on Friday morning looked like most other planes launching into the partly cloudy skies.

But this San Francisco-bound United Airlines flight was preceded by speeches and fanfare because the plane’s engines were powered by a blend of petroleum-based fuel and sustainable biofuel, brewed at a Southern California refinery from natural oils and agricultural waste.

Other airlines have tested biofuel, but the Chicago-based carrier says no other airline has committed to using the fuel on a regular route. The jet flies the LA-SF L.A.-San Francisco route four to five times a day, and it will be fueled by a blend of 30% biofuel and 70% petroleum fuel for two weeks. The airline also plans to continue using the biofuel in its regular operations at the airport. READ MORE