Metropolitan Airport NewsMetropolitan Airport News
  • Airport News
    • Publisher’s Message
    • Fast Five
    • On Duty
    • Air Cargo
    • Airline News
    • Airport Community
    • Airport Employment News
    • Airport Safety & Security
    • Company Spotlight
    • Ground Services
    • Intermodal
    • New York Aviation History
    • Non-Rev Traveler
  • Airport & Aviation Events
  • Airport Employment
  • Latest Issue
  • Login

Subscribe for Updates

Get the latest local airport and aviation news delivered right into your inbox each week!

News Updates
Elise Eberwein accepts the CF Foundation’s Jena Award on March 23.

American Airlines Donates $1.1 Million to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

March 24, 2023
Delta Cargo unveils largest cooler facility at New York-JFK Airport

Delta Cargo Unveils Largest Cooler Facility at JFK Airport

March 24, 2023
Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO Lufthansa Cargo AG

Dorothea von Boxberg to be CEO of Brussels Airlines

March 23, 2023
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Metropolitan Airport NewsMetropolitan Airport News
  • Airport News
    • Publisher’s Message
    • Fast Five
    • On Duty
    • Air Cargo
    • Airline News
    • Airport Community
    • Airport Employment News
    • Airport Safety & Security
    • Company Spotlight
    • Ground Services
    • Intermodal
    • New York Aviation History
    • Non-Rev Traveler
  • Airport & Aviation Events
  • Airport Employment
  • Latest Issue
  • Login
Metropolitan Airport NewsMetropolitan Airport News
Home»Aviation News»United, Tallgrass, and Green Plains Form Joint Venture to Develop New Sustainable Aviation Fuel Technology Using Ethanol
Aviation News

United, Tallgrass, and Green Plains Form Joint Venture to Develop New Sustainable Aviation Fuel Technology Using Ethanol

United has entered into an offtake agreement with Blue Blade Energy for up to 135 million gallons of ethanol-based SAF annually and up to 2.7 billion gallons in total
Metropolitan Airport NewsBy Metropolitan Airport NewsJanuary 31, 2023No Comments4 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
United-737-8

United Airlines, Tallgrass, and Green Plains Inc. announced a joint venture – Blue Blade Energy – to develop and commercialize a novel Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) technology that uses ethanol as its feedstock. If the technology is successful, Blue Blade is expected to construct a pilot facility in 2024, followed by a full-scale facility that could begin commercial operations by 2028. The offtake agreement could provide for enough SAF to fly more than 50,000 flights annually between United’s hub airports in Chicago and Denver.*

Blue Blade’s new SAF technology was developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a leading center for technological innovation in sustainable energy. SAF, which uses non-petroleum feedstock, is a low-carbon alternative to traditional jet fuel that offers up to 85%** lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.

“The production and use of SAF is the most effective and scalable tool the airline industry has to reduce carbon emissions, and United continues to lead the way,” said United Airlines Ventures President Michael Leskinen. “This new joint venture includes two expert collaborators that have the experience to construct and operate large-scale infrastructure, as well as the feedstock supply necessary for success. Once operational, Blue Blade Energy has the potential to create United’s largest source of SAF, providing up to 135 million gallons of fuel annually.”

United, Tallgrass, and Green Plains will each provide their unique industry expertise to help develop the joint venture. Under this collaborative approach:

  • Tallgrass will manage the research and development of the technology, including pilot plant development and the production facility’s construction.
  • Green Plains will supply the low-carbon ethanol feedstock and use its ethanol industry expertise to manage operations once the pilot facility is constructed.
  • United Airlines will assist with SAF development, fuel certification, and into-wing logistics and has also agreed to purchase up to 2.7 billion gallons of SAF produced from the joint venture.

“At Tallgrass, we are striving to innovate how we deliver the energy that powers our nation and enables our quality of life,” said Alison Nelson, Vice President, Business Development at Tallgrass. “Air travel uniquely connects people and improves lives, and the advancement of this novel SAF technology presents a meaningful opportunity to reduce emissions from aviation.  We are excited to partner with industry leaders United Airlines and Green Plains on this initiative.”

If the technology is commercialized, the location of Blue Blade’s initial plant will allow easy access to low-carbon feedstock from Green Plains’ Midwest ethanol production facilities. While the initial SAF facility intends to use ethanol, the technology has the capability to work with any alcohol-based feedstock as its fuel source.

“Our transformation to a true decarbonized biorefinery model has positioned Green Plains to help our customers and partners reduce the carbon intensity of their products by producing low-carbon proteins, oils, sugars, and now decarbonized ethanol to be used in SAF,” said Todd Becker, President and CEO of Green Plains. “This partnership with world-class organizations like United Airlines and Tallgrass shows the value creation that is possible with our low-carbon platform. The potential impact of this project is a game-changer for US agriculture, aligning a strong farm economy and a robust aviation transport industry focused on decarbonizing our skies.”

Blue Blade Energy marks one of the largest direct investments from United Airlines Ventures (UAV), United’s corporate venture arm, into SAF. Launched in 2021, UAV targets startups, upcoming technologies, and sustainability concepts that will complement United’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets. United has aggressively pursued strategic investments in SAF producers and revolutionary technologies, including carbon capture, hydrogen-electric engines, electric regional aircraft, and air taxis.

*Assuming current regulations requiring SAF to be blended with conventional jet fuel are removed to allow for the use of unblended SAF.  
**Based on United’s current SAF supply

Sustainability
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Metropolitan Airport News
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Produced by a team of aviation professionals and enthusiasts, our mission is to inform and update the more than 68,000 employees who work on the metropolitan New York airport properties, as well as the many others that provide goods and services in the surrounding communities.

RELATED NEWS & UPDATES

Ferrovial and Eve Air Mobility Team Up On Urban Air Traffic In the U.S and Europe

March 23, 2023

American Airlines Leading the Way With Women in Aviation

March 16, 2023
Viridos' technology extracts algae oil from algae for potential future production of sustainable aviation fuel

United Invests $5 Million in Algae-based Fuel Producer Viridos

March 13, 2023
Sustainable logistics solutions and use of innovative technologies reduce CO2 emissions.

Lufthansa Cargo Achieves Record Result for the Third Time in a Row

March 3, 2023
Universal Hydrogen Successfully Completes First Flight of Hydrogen Regional Airliner

Universal Hydrogen Successfully Completes First Flight of Hydrogen Regional Airliner

March 3, 2023
LUFTHANSA A350

Lufthansa Orders 10 Airbus A350-1000 and 5 more A350-900 Aircraft

March 2, 2023
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

AIRPORT & AVIATION EVENTS
Civil Air Patrol Falcon Squadron Meeting
March 27, 2023
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport-(JFK)
Jamaica, New York
LGA Airport Hiring Event
March 28, 2023
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
  • LaGuardia Airport-(LGA)
East Elmhurst, New York
FDU Master of Public Administration Open House
March 28, 2023
11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport-(JFK)
Port Authority Building
Jamaica, New York
  • >> More Airport & Aviation Events

Subscribe for Weekly Email Updates

Get the latest local airport news, events, and jobs delivered right into your inbox each week.

Metropolitan Airport News provides timely news, information and updates for both Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) employees and businesses that provide services at, and around the major New York airports (JFK, LGA, EWR).

John F. Kennedy International Airport
PO Box 300877
Jamaica, NY 11430 USA
Phone: (347) 396-0904
Email Us

Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Flickr
MARCH 2023 ISSUE
Metropolitan Airport News March 2023
LATEST COMMENTS
  • Julia Lauria-Blum on Larger Than Life
  • Robert lee on Jane Mrosko
  • Jerelyn Zontini on Larger Than Life
  • Tom Krpata on The Golden Age of Airline Employment
  • About Us
  • Advertising Options
  • Charitable Giving Program
  • Back Issue Archive
  • Contact Us
© 2023 Airport Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.