United Airlines inks 20-year aviation biofuel deal with Cemvita

US air carrier United Airlines Inc has signed a deal to buy up to one billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Texas-based Cemvita Corp’s first full-scale manufacturing facility.

The 20-year offtake arrangement calls for Cemvita to deliver up to 50 million gallons of SAF annually, the companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

“United is the global aviation leader in SAF production investment, but we face a real shortage of available fuel and producers. Cemvita’s technology represents a path forward for a potentially significant supply of SAF and it’s our hope that this offtake agreement for up to one billion gallons is just the beginning of our collaboration,” said United Airlines Ventures’ president Michael Leskinen.

Back in 2016, United Airlines became the first US airline to launch regularly scheduled flights using commercial-scale volumes of sustainable aviation biofuel. The company’s goal is to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets. In line with that target, it operates a venture fund that aims to invest in companies and technologies aiming to decarbonise aviation.

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