United Airlines has been lauded by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker for its use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at Chicago O’Hare Airport in a video timed to coincide with the Democratic National Convention.
United Airlines Touts SAF With Illinois Governor During 2024 Democratic National Convention
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is chemically identical to normal jet fuel, but made from renewable materials rather than fossil fuels. Per United, SAF can reduce carbon emissions (on a lifecycle basis) by up to 85%, compared to normal jet fuel.
United has been an early pioneer of the use of SAF in its fleet, though high costs of production have made it financially unfeasible compared to conventional fuel. However, United has recently brought SAF to O’Hare thanks to the Illinois SAF tax credits that Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law in 2023 – the first legislation of its kind in the Midwest.
United tells Live And Let’s Fly it will celebrate that achievement this week to coincide with the Democratic National Convention:
At United, we figured with stakeholders from across the country attending the Democratic National Convention, that it would be a great time to recognize Illinois’ SAF policy leadership and encourage other states to follow their lead. That’s why we’ll be sharing a special video from Governor Pritzker with passengers departing from O’Hare via our customer communications text and email channels throughout the week.
This video will be shared with passengers arriving at and departing from ORD this week:
Greenwashing?
While SAF may theoretically be a cleaner alternative to conventional jet fuel. United admits that SAF represents less than 0.1% of United’s overall fuel use:
Based on publicly available information on airline SAF purchases in Chicago. SAF is less than 0.1% of United’s overall fuel use. SAF must be blended with conventional fuel in accordance with regulatory requirements. Use of blended SAF results in lower carbon emissions on a lifecycle basis than conventional fuel alone.
In short, any substantial use of SAF is still quite a ways off…
Yet, UAL still can’t properly cater premium cabins…
It’s all feel good liberal bullshit. The climate will continue to change regardless of what we do. Be good stewards of the planet. But humans don’t have the ability to change the climate.
You could not be more wrong
Strong point.
He is right about one thing, this is more about the optics than actually doing anything real for the environment. Climate change is a thing, but corporations will always choose profits over doing actual work to change anything.
……+1
Just to be clear, United is selling SAF to corporate accounts for their greenwashing, right?
Not an insult or critique but last I checked United wasn’t buying this to be good environmental stewards but rather to resell to corporate clients with these sustainability goals
Did UA say they’re buying the saf and funding it themselves?
Shameless & meaningless greenwashing … CEO’s & politicians seem to be cut from the same cloth… Maybe UA can try apply their renewable philosophy to improve their catering ( ie recycling compost in to tasty casseroles !
Those ancient 757s, 767s, aging 777-200s, and oldest 737-700s/800s/900s are anything but green, not to mention the 1992 ordered A319s and A320s.
United’s fleet skews older and its not green.
When large solar energy companies stop going out of business then I may start to believe in “green energy.”
In the meantime the only two options for sustainable, reliable energy are fossil fuels and nuclear energy.