Watershed, an international platform which helps some of the world’s biggest corporations to measure, report and reduce their carbon emissions, has facilitated the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc) by four major companies to help them compensate for emissions created by their corporate air travel. The deals were arranged through the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA), for BlackRock, a global investment, advisory and risk management group, and financial and corporate technology companies Ripple, Samsara and Block. The SAF associated with their certificates will be allocated to US carrier Alaska Airlines, a founding member of SABA, while the four companies will be able to claim environmental attributes of the fuel as contributions to their own emission reduction targets.

Watershed measures total carbon emissions across all areas of corporate operations, then consolidates data to provide a detailed account of emissions for reports to shareholders, regulators and other stakeholders.

It also identifies and helps deliver remedial actions, as it has in this case through its partnership with SABA, for which it aggregates corporate demand for SAFc, leading to procurement and delivery of authenticated, high-integrity supplies to airlines.

The four purchases it has just announced, while not specifically quantified, are linked to a collection of deals announced by SABA earlier this year which are expected to attract SAFc commitments valued at $200 million, equating to approximately 50 million gallons of the fuel.

The SAF will be sourced from four fuel suppliers over five years and, fully deployed, is expected to reduce CO2 emissions from aircraft by approximately 500,000 tons.

Claire Kiely, Head of Watershed Marketplace Carbon Supply, said collective purchasing deals such as the four just announced represent “a compelling demand signal” to help increase supplies of SAF.

“Watershed consolidates our customers’ demand for high-impact, low-carbon technology like sustainable aviation fuel, then works with SAF suppliers, airlines and experts through SABA to meet that demand and grow an essential new sector,” she said.

“By participating in this historic investment, Watershed customers are providing a powerful demand signal for SAF and affirming the role SAFc will play in corporate emissions reduction initiatives.”

Alaska Airlines, the end user in the Watershed SAFc deal, is a leading proponent of multiple decarbonisation technologies, including SAF, hydrogen-electric propulsion and all-new aircraft designs.

The carrier’s scale has just increased with approval of its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, which, while it will continue to operate as a separate brand, potentially offers further opportunities to broaden deployment of SAF under the group umbrella, in addition to its own plans for the fuels.

“Alaska Airlines is all-in on advancing the market for sustainable aviation fuels, a critical element in the path to decarbonise aviation,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, the company’s SVP Public Affairs and Sustainability.  

“We are one of the founding members of SABA’s Aviators group because we know that we will only reach our destination if we’re tackling this challenge from all angles – business, policy, financing and more. Investing in SAF alongside partners like Watershed, BlackRock, Ripple, Samsara and Block helps us scale up use.”

BlackRock has highlighted “a massive reallocation of capital” as the low-carbon economy continues to evolve globally with new technologies, changing consumer and investor preferences, and shifts in government policies.

Ripple’s VP Social Impact and Sustainability, Ken Weber, said joining the corporate push to boost SAF use was also an important step for his company in reaching its target of net zero carbon by 2030.

“Through collaboration with Watershed and SABA we are not only supporting the growth of SAF but also empowering other companies to take similar meaningful steps in reducing their emissions footprint,” he said.

Kim Carnahan, Head of SABA’s secretariat and CEO of the Center for Green Market Activation, said aggregator partners such as Watershed were critical in helping accelerate the growth of green commodity markets.

“By consolidating demand among its customers, Watershed is helping SABA send a larger demand signal to the SAF market while enabling us to welcome a new set of leading corporations,” she said.

SABA was founded by the Environmental Defense Fund and Rocky Mountain Institute and is supported by the Center for Green Market Activation. Among SABA’s founding members are corporations including Bank of America, Boeing, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, JP Morgan Chase, McKinsey & Co, Microsoft, Meta, Netflix and Salesforce.

Photo: Alaska Airlines

Tony Harrington

Correspondent

• Linkedin

Two Californian e-fuel startups, Infinium and Twelve, have received a joint total of up to $1.7 billion in funding and investment to help accelerate production and availability of sustainable aviation fuel. Brookfield Asset Management has committed to invest more than $200 million in Infinium’s Project Roadrunner that is under development in West Texas and up to an additional $850 million for deployment of other Infinium eFuels projects globally, all subject to pre-agreed metrics. This marks Brookfield’s first direct investment in SAF and the investor will also serve as lead in Infinium’s Series C Preferred Stock Offering. Twelve has received $645 million in funding, which includes $400 million in project equity led by TPG Rise Climate, $200 million in Series C financing and an additional $45 million in credit facilities from funders in the renewable energy sector.

Infinium produces eSAF through a proprietary process that combines water, waste CO2 and renewable energy to produce drop-in eSAF as well as eDiesel and eNaphtha. The company recently announced a strategic deal with American Airlines, in which American will purchase commercial volumes of its eSAF starting in 2026 produced by Project Roadrunner.

“Brookfield is a tremendous partner and we are thrilled to secure this additional capital as we scale eSAF production to meet the overwhelming demand from the aviation industry,” said Infinium CEO Robert Schuetzle.

“Our Project Pathfinder site was the first to bring commercial volumes of e-fuels to market and Project Roadrunner brings additional volumes to scale global supplies. As our airline partners continue to push for more SAF and decarbonisation options, Infinium remains committed to accelerating production to help meet those demands.”

Brookfield joins existing backer Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, which previously committed $75 million in funding for Project Roadrunner.

“Our investment is structured to provide the capital Infinium needs to accelerate the production of SAF to meet the growing demand from corporate customers while generating attractive risk-adjusted returns for us,” explained Jehangir Vevaina, Managing Partner at Brookfield, which has around $1 trillion of assets under management. “In addition to Roadrunner, Infinium has a large pipeline of well-positioned projects to help meet the demand for the structurally short e-fuels market, and we are looking forward to the opportunity to participate in the development of further e-fuel projects through follow-on investments.”

Infinium claims Project Pathfinder in Corpus Christi, Texas, is the world’s first commercial-scale facility making drop-in ready e-fuels for heavy transportation applications and chemical processes, and is the first in North America to produce e-fuels that have received ISCC PLUS certification. Pathfinder integrates Infinium’s novel fuel production technology using patented catalysts with on-site electrolysers, a state-of-the-art laboratory, logistics and delivery mechanics to produce, validate and distribute e-fuels in what it describes as fewer steps than others in the industry.

The company says it has more than a dozen additional projects under development across the United States, the EU, Japan and Australia.

Meanwhile, funding raised by Twelve will be used towards the completion of the company’s inaugural AirPlant One eSAF facility located in Moses Lake, Washington, which is expected to begin production in 2025. Twelve’s patented technology will be used to produce SAF derived from biogenic CO2, water and renewable energy sources, which achieves claimed lifecycle emissions up to 90% lower than conventional fossil jet fuel. Twelve recently raised $45 million in total loans from two lenders – the first a $25 million construction loan from clean energy investment firm Fundamental Renewables, the other a $20 million green loan from multinational bank SMBC.

TPG Rise Climate, a $7.3 billion climate impact fund, has now committed up to $400 million in project equity financing to support the development of future AirPlants, which will supply Twelve’s E-Jet fuel to customers like Alaska Airlines and IAG, parent company of British Airways.

“We are drawn to companies and founders that have developed and proven unique solutions to complex problems,” said Jonathan Garfinkel, Managing Partner at TPG Rise Climate. “Twelve is a clear leader in CO2 conversion technology, which is a core part of the power-to-liquids technology stack, and the process we believe represents the long-term scalable solution for SAF production.”

TPG is leading Twelve’s $200 million Series C round alongside Capricorn Investment Group and Pulse Fund. A number of new and existing investors participated in the round, including Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund and Alaska Airlines’ investment arm, Alaska Star Ventures.

“We are excited to be a part of this round of forward-looking funders to make a more sustainable future for aviation possible,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, SVP Public Affairs and Sustainability at Alaska Airlines. “Over the last several years we have appreciated getting to know the team at Twelve. Together we are building a multi-level partnership to expand supply, mature the market for SAF and to soon use their E-Jet fuel in our operations.”

Responded Nicholas Flanders, CEO at Twelve: “Our financing strategy has been to build a comprehensive capital stack that enables us to deliver product to customers at scale while continually driving down costs. We’re proud to work with visionary financing partners and collaborators who share our commitment to deploying first of a kind technologies that address climate change at scale.”

Photo: American Airlines expects to purchase commercial volumes of Infinium’s eSAF starting in 2026

Christopher Surgenor

Editor

• Linkedin

E-fuels will be featured at Aviation Carbon 2024

Expanding US carrier Alaska Airlines has announced an investment in California-based JetZero, which is developing a blended-wing body (BWB) airliner promising up to 50% lower fuel burn than current 200-plus passenger aircraft and targeting 2030 entry into service. The airline did not specify the value of the investment or its potential scale or timing but confirmed that the deal included options for future orders of the blended wing jets. Alaska’s stake in JetZero was facilitated through Alaska Star Ventures, a dedicated investment platform established in 2021 by the airline to identify and support technologies to help it achieve its steep target of net zero carbon emissions by 2040. In 2021, Alaska invested in hydrogen-electric pioneer ZeroAvia and entered a development collaboration on a hydrogen powertrain for a 76-seat zero-emission aircraft with the startup.

“We are always looking for ways to innovate and shape the future of air travel,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska’s SVP of public affairs and sustainability, announcing the JetZero investment.

The family of planes proposed by JetZero features an innovative arrowhead design in which the fuselage and swept-back wings are integrated, lightweight composite materials are widely used and two high bypass jet engines are mounted atop the rear of the fuselage. The company says the design, which also excludes a tail, “dramatically” improves aerodynamic efficiency compared to conventional tube-and-wing jet designs and will a be able to use 100% sustainable aviation fuel.

“A shorter, wider fuselage is blended together, mimicking the wing to provide lift,” explained JetZero. “With less drag and weight, the size of the engines is reduced, which further reduces drag and weight. This breakthrough fills the mid-market gap with an aircraft that achieves half the fuel burn and emissions of the ageing fleet it will replace.”

JetZero was founded in 2021 by an engineering team who pioneered the BWB concept, with co-founder and CTO Mark Page first investigating future BWB properties under a NASA initiative in the 1990s while at McDonnell Douglas. Although blended wing technology has been studied for three decades by NASA and other partners, it is JetZero which is progressing the concept to commercialisation.

Last year, it secured a $235 million award from the Innovation Unit of the US Department of Defense to develop and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft by the first quarter of 2027 and this month it received a grant of $8 million through the FAA’s FAST programme. It is partnering with Northrop Grumman and Scaled Composites to build and test the demonstrator, and Pratt & Whitney GatorWorks to design and integrate its propulsion system. Although it will initially be designed to use 100% SAF, JetZero said its design could also accommodate later conversion to hydrogen propulsion.

“The biggest challenge for airlines is lowering fuel burn and emissions,” said JetZero co-founder and CEO Tom O’Leary. “Of all the great new technologies in work, the BWB design delivers the biggest market impact by far. Airlines will see immediate benefit in cost savings, dramatically lower emissions, and improved customer service compared to airplanes flying today. We’re thrilled to welcome Alaska to our team of innovators, and our belief is that this aircraft will reshape aviation.”

The airline’s Diana Birkett Rakow said: “We are proud to invest in JetZero’s development of this innovative next-generation aircraft, with a significant step-change in fuel efficiency. We and JetZero share a vision for more sustainable aviation, and we are excited to partner with them in creating that future.”   

As well as committing to support JetZero, Alaska Airlines is also backing hydrogen-electric propulsion company ZeroAvia, which is developing a family of zero emission propulsion systems to replace fossil-fuel engines in existing turbine and turboprop aircraft.

In May last year, Alaska Airlines delivered one of its decommissioned Bombardier Q400 turboprop airliners – also known as Dash 8-400s – to the hydrogen propulsion company for use as an airborne test platform. The aircraft was previously operated by Alaska’s regional division, Horizon Air.

ZeroAvia is progressing its entry level ZA 600 powertrain towards certification for use in 10-20 seat aircraft by next year, and is well-advanced on its next model, the ZA 2000, designed to retrofit zero emission propulsion systems into 40-80 seat turboprop airliners like the Q400 or Europe’s ATR42 and 72 family of aircraft. For this programme it is targeting entry into service by 2027. Jet derivatives are also planned.

In addition to its JetZero and ZeroAvia partnerships, Alaska Airlines could also be linked to a third new aircraft programme if its proposal to acquire Hawaiian Airlines wins regulatory approval. Hawaiian has invested an undisclosed amount in US-based Regent Seagliders and is part of an advisory group assisting with the design of a 100-seat version of the battery-electric aircraft, which will use waterways and wharves instead of land based runways and airports, and will operate high speed, low altitude flights over water.

Image: Render of the JetZero blended-wing body concept aircraft

Tony Harrington

Correspondent

• Linkedin

Hydrogen-electric propulsion developer ZeroAvia has taken delivery of an ex-Alaska Airlines Bombardier Q400 regional airliner for conversion to a zero-emission flight testbed. The 76-seat turboprop aircraft will be retrofitted to test a prototype of ZeroAvia’s new ZA2000 hydrogen-electric powertrain, which is being developed to provide zero emission propulsion for 40-80 seat aircraft from 2027. The Q400, originally known known as the De Havilland Dash 8-400, was donated by Alaska Airlines, a ZeroAvia shareholder and research partner, whose regional subsidiary Horizon Air recently retired its turboprop fleet. It will become ZeroAvia’s fourth testbed aircraft, following two 19-seat Dornier 228s and a six-seat Piper Malibu, and when operational will be the world’s largest zero-emission aircraft. The jointly-branded Q400 was formally unveiled in a ceremony at ZeroAvia’s research and development site at Paine Field, north of Seattle. The event was also used by ZeroAvia to showcase a new multi-megawatt electric motor system, which was demonstrated by powering a propeller spin on a ground test rig.

The delivery of the Q400 is a significant stride for ZeroAvia, which launched hydrogen-electric flight tests two years ago with a 250kW hydrogen-electric powertrain retrofitted to the Piper Malibu testbed, followed earlier this year by the first flight test of its ZA600 propulsion system on one of the Dornier aircraft. The company is targeting 2024 certification of the ZA600 propulsion system for 9-19 seat regional planes, offering a zero-emission flight range of up to 300 miles (483 kilometres). Entry into commercial service is expected to be in 2025, with this programme also serving as a foundation for development and approval of the derivative ZA2000 propulsion system, to power 40-80 seat aircraft up to 700 miles (almost 1,130 kilometres).

ZeroAvia’s CEO and founder, Val Miftakhov, said the Q400 testbed would help advance his company’s long-range programme to decarbonise regional and medium-haul flights, initially by retrofitting turboprops and regional jets with zero-emission propulsion systems. “Demonstrating this size of aircraft in flight, powered entirely by novel propulsion, would have been unthinkable a few years ago,” he said. “Launching this programme puts us on track for a test flight next year and accelerates our progress towards the future of zero-emission flight for Alaska Airlines and for the world at large.”

Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci described the imminent Q400 research programme as “a great step forward in aviation innovation, to help create a new future of flight,” and welcomed development of the programme near the airline’s Seattle home base. “Alaska Airlines has defined a five-part journey to achieve net zero carbon emissions long-term but we can’t get there alone,” he said. “New technologies are required to make that future possible and we’re thrilled to partner with industry leader ZeroAvia to make new zero emissions options a reality.”

The hydrogen-electric propulsion system developed by ZeroAvia uses fuel cells to create electricity from hydrogen fuel, which then drives electric motors to turn the aircraft’s propellers. The ZA2000 system to be installed on the Q400 testbed aircraft will include ZeroAvia’s High Temperature PEM fuel cells and liquid hydrogen fuel storage, which are necessary to deliver sufficient energy density for flights by large turboprops. ZeroAvia has established an engineering partnership with De Havilland Canada, the original maker of the Dash 8 range of aircraft, to facilitate the exchange of both data and expertise. 

As well as inducting the ex-Horizon plane for conversion to a test platform, ZeroAvia has in recent weeks been testing in California a 1.8MW electric propulsion system configuration with a standard Dash 8-400 engine gearbox and propeller. This was demonstrated at the Paine Field event, with a propeller spin performed on ZeroAvia’s ground test rig, a 15-ton ‘HyperTruck’.

The configuration of this system consists of two ‘HyperCore’ motor modules, each of which is a powerful, high-speed 900kW machine which operates at 20,000 rpm, the same as a typical turbine engine, delivering 15kW/kg of motor power density.

“Crucially,” explained ZeroAvia, “HyperCore’s modular design enables the technology to address applications ranging from 900kW up to 5.4MW, meeting a number of regional turboprop and regional jet requirements. The HyperCores were successfully integrated with the stock Dash 8-400 engine gearbox and propeller, which dramatically simplifies integration into the aircraft as a replacement for a stock turbine engine.

“The development and testing programme will enable the understanding and measurement of system dynamics, calibration of physical and electrical models, and validation of thermal management systems,” the company said. It is also developing silicone-carbide power electronics and hydrogen fuel cell systems which will convert hydrogen to energy to power the electric propulsion system.

As well as engine and testbed aircraft developments, ZeroAvia has established a series of ground-based partnerships this year to progress hydrogen operations at regional airports.

In the Netherlands, the company has joined forces with Shell, Rotterdam-The Hague Airport, and Rotterdam-The Hague Innovation Airport to develop concept operations for hydrogen, and targeting demonstration flights by hydrogen-electric aircraft to European destinations within 250 nautical miles (463 kilometres) of Rotterdam by the end of 2024, ahead of commercial passenger flights by 2025.

ZeroAvia has also partnered with Birmingham Airport in the UK to develop hydrogen refuelling infrastructure to support a domestic ‘green aviation network’, with zero-emission flights operating by mid-decade to destinations including Glasgow, Aberdeen, Belfast and Dublin.

In north-east Sweden, the company has joined Braathens Regional Airlines, municipal energy company Skelleftea Kraft and Skelleftea Airport to develop commercial flights from the airport. They will initially explore opportunities from 2025 using 9- to 19-seat aircraft powered by ZeroAvia’s ZA600 powertrain, followed in 2027 with extended operations by 40-80 seat aircraft using the ZA2000 propulsion system. Braathens operates a fleet of 14 ATR72 turboprops, one of the candidate aircraft for the larger powertrain.

ZeroAvia has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nordic energy group Fortum to examine opportunities for hydrogen production and refuelling at airports, not just for air transport but also to support activities including heavy transportation, materials handling and other energy-consuming systems. It has entered a similar partnership with French company Absolut Hydrogen to assess production and storage of liquid hydrogen at airports, as well as refuelling for aircraft of up to 80 seats by 2027.

Top photo: The Q400 painted in a ZeroAvia/Alaska livery

Bottom photo (both photos Joe Nicholson – Alaska Airlines): ZeroAvia’s 15-ton HyperTruck ground-test rig

American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Lufthansa Group have each announced major new commitments to purchase sustainable aviation fuel, collectively exceeding 1.2 billion gallons. American, the world’s biggest airline group, has committed to buy 500 million gallons from biofuels producer Gevo over five years, commencing in 2026, and Alaska Airlines will source 185 million gallons of SAF from Gevo in a five-year commitment, also starting in 2026. American and Alaska are both members of the oneworld airline alliance, which last year agreed to a collective target of using 10% of combined fuel volumes by 2030, having been the first global alliance to announce a target of carbon neutrality by 2050 in September 2020. Lufthansa Group has announced a seven-year partnership with Shell to globally source 1.8 million metric tons (around 600 million gallons) between 2024 and 2030. The three deals represent the largest single commitments to SAF by each of the companies, reports Tony Harrington. Meanwhile, Lufthansa Group is now offering a new ‘Green Fare’ that already includes full CO2 compensation in the price.

The latest SAF agreement by American boosts its total low-carbon fuel commitments to over 620 million gallons. But it accounts for just 20% of what is needed to meet its 10% by 2030 goal, says the airline.  “The use of SAF is a cornerstone of our strategy to decarbonise air travel,” said Jill Blickstein, American’s VP Sustainability. “While this landmark investment represents meaningful action by American Airlines, driving progress at the scale and pace we need requires critical policy action in Washington and at the State level.”

Announcing its new SAF deal, fellow oneworld member Alaska Airlines, which has set an ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2040, also amped up pressure for greater policy support to increase the availability of affordable supplies of sustainable fuels. “SAF is the most immediate path we have towards decarbonisation of aviation, but we recognise there is significant work required ahead – including public policy action – to make SAF a viable, affordable option at scale,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska’s SVP Public Affairs and Sustainability.

In Europe, Lufthansa Group, a member of the rival Star Alliance, has signed an MoU with Shell International Petroleum to investigate the supply of SAF at airports around the world. Comprising Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings and Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Group is the largest collective user of SAF in Europe, it claims. The company said its deal with Shell would be “one of the most significant commercial SAF co-operations in the aviation industry” and the biggest SAF commitment of either company to date. The MoU is also expected to progress Shell’s ambition to ensure SAF comprised 10% of its aviation fuel sales by 2030.

“The Lufthansa Group has been involved in SAF research for many years, has built up an extensive network of partnerships and is driving forward the introduction of sustainable next-generation aviation fuels in particular,” the company added. “Special focus is placed on the forward-looking power-to-liquid and sun-to-liquid technologies, which use renewable energies or thermal energy as energy carriers.”

By using SAF, customers can already fly carbon-neutral today, said the Group. Additionally, they can document their reduced CO2 emissions with audited certificates and have the CO2 savings credited to their individual CO2 balance.

Coinciding with its SAF offtake announcement, the Group announced that four of its members – Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines – had introduced a new range of ‘Green Fares’ that include “full CO2 compensation” in the price. The fares will be available for Economy and Business Class flights within Europe, initially for passengers travelling from Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and displayed alongside other fares types in online booking screens immediately after flight selection. The new fares also include the option of free rebooking, as well as extra status and award miles. From autumn, they will also be available through travel agencies in Scandinavia.

“The Lufthansa Group is the first international aviation group to offer its customers a separate ‘green fare’ for CO2-neutral flying with SAF,” it stated. Through the pilot project, 80% of carbon offsetting will be achieved through high-quality climate protection projects and 20% through the use of SAF, the company added. 

“We want to make CO2-neutral flying a matter of course in the future,” commented Christina Foerster, a member of Lufthansa Group’s Executive Board, responsible for brand and sustainability. “People don’t just want to fly and discover the world. They also want to protect it. We are driven by the need to support our customers with the right offers.”

Photo: Lufthansa

Alaska Airlines is partnering with Microsoft Corporation and carbon technology company Twelve to progress the development of power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels, through which carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere is converted with renewable energy to create sustainable aviation fuel. The three companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will lead to the first commercial demonstration flight in the US using Twelve’s E-Jet low carbon fuel, followed by Alaska’s use of the fuel to part-power some of Microsoft’s business travel on the airline to help recompense its emissions. Alaska Airlines has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2040, 10 years ahead of the airline industry’s generally-agreed commitment to 2050, and has purchased and promoted SAF for more than a decade, while Microsoft is also an investor in Twelve through the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, reports Tony Harrington. Meanwhile, two European airlines, Aer Lingus and Aegean, have announced SAF deals.

Diana Birkett Rakow, SVP Public Affairs and Sustainability for Alaska Airlines, said the carrier’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2040 relied upon procuring SAF, including Twelve’s E-Jet product. “We are committed to making SAF more widely available, at an affordable price, helping bring new alternatives to market, and using these fuels in our operation, a path that requires public policy action and private partnerships like this one,” she said. “We’re excited to work with Twelve and Microsoft to advance Twelve’s E-Jet fuel, turning captured CO2 and renewable energy into fuel for our airplanes.”

The airline said that since 2010, it had worked with a range of public and private partners “to advance public policies needed to jumpstart the nascent SAF market, create new offtake agreements and cultivate partnerships to accelerate market development,” and was a founding member of the Aviators Group of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Buyers Alliance (SABA), which was announced at last year’s COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Alaska Airlines has also participated in Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator programme to test 100% SAF in one engine of a Boeing 737 jet, partnered with SAF provider SkyNRG to progress development of fuel from recycled municipal waste and is a participant in two US-based SAF procurement deals by the oneworld alliance, of which it is a member. Beyond SAF, it has partnered with ZeroAvia to help develop a hybrid-electric powertrain for regional airliners.

Twelve’s E-Jet fuel is created through the use of an electrochemical reactor and a proprietary catalyst, which replicate the natural process of photosynthesis at industrial scale by electrifying CO2 and water to produce carbon neutral fuel. “By producing our drop-in E-Jet fuel from captured CO2 we can rapidly and efficiently close the carbon cycle and allow businesses to sustainably use emissions to power their own business travel,” said Nicholas Flanders, CEO and Co-founder of Twelve. “Partnering with progress-minded brands like Alaska Airlines and Microsoft adds thrust as we work towards delivering industrial-scale volumes of E-Jet.” The company said the fuel had already been tested and qualified by the US Air Force.

In March this year, the Canadian e-commerce group Shopify, which is also one of the largest corporate investors in long-term carbon removal, announced its Sustainability Fund had made the first purchase of Twelve’s E-Jet fuel. “Purchasing carbon removal from leading companies is critical to helping them scale, but purchasing from emerging companies pursuing novel approaches is equally essential,” said Stacy Kauk, Shopify’s Head of Sustainability. As well as helping to accelerate carbon removal solutions, she added, such investments also provided recipient businesses with a strong revenue stream and helped them to secure financing for their programmes.   

Elizabeth Willmott, Carbon Programme Director at Microsoft, said addressing emissions from hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation needed commitment from all stakeholders. “Building on our Climate Innovation Fund investment in Twelve and relationship with Alaska Airlines, this collaboration provides an opportunity to accelerate decarbonisation in the aviation industry by exploring how to use low carbon fuels produced by renewable electricity, like Twelve’s E-Jet.”

While Alaska Airlines expands its extensive SAF programme to include PtL, two European airlines, Aer Lingus and Aegean, have both announced new agreements to purchase SAF in line with their commitments to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Aer Lingus, a member of International Airlines Group (IAG), has just signed an agreement to purchase 19,000 tonnes per year of SAF for five years from US-based renewable fuels company Gevo, commencing in 2026. The fuel will be used by the airline to help power its flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco, and from 2026 will represent 50% of the fuel purchased by Aer Lingus in California.

IAG, which also includes British Airways, Iberia, Iberia Express, Vueling, Air Nostrum and LEVEL, has already committed to a target of net zero emissions by 2050, and to powering 10% of its flights with SAF by 2030. Aer Lingus said its deal with Gevo would provide enough SAF to cut lifecycle CO2 emissions by at least 180,000 tonnes, equivalent to 1,000 net zero CO2 flights with widebody Airbus A330 jets between Dublin and Los Angeles.

In Greece, Aegean has announced its first SAF deal, a partnership with Hellenic Petroleum to use a blended product to operate flights on domestic and international routes, beginning with departures from its hub at Thessaloniki Airport, to be followed soon after by services from Athens International Airport. Timing of the programmes was not revealed.

Photo: Alaska Airlines

Regional and business aircraft maker Embraer has released details and images of four concept aircraft as starting points for all-new sustainably-powered passenger planes, reports Tony Harrington. Simultaneously, a new partnership has been formed in the UK to progress the conversion of existing Britten-Norman commuter planes from fossil fuels to zero-emission hydrogen propulsion. Embraer said its new Energia aircraft family would range from nine to 50 seats, fly between 200 and 500 nautical miles, or 370-926 kilometres, and be powered by four different, rear-mounted propulsion systems. The intention is to offer them progressively between 2030 and 2040, as technology becomes available. In contrast, Project Fresson, a collaboration between Britten-Norman and Cranfield Aerospace Solutions to retrofit existing regional aircraft with hydrogen fuel cell technology, has been broadened through a new partnership with Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, which owns UK regional airline Skybus, and wants to transition to zero-emission flights. Meanwhile, hydrogen-electric aviation pioneer ZeroAvia has announced a slew of new collaborations, including with Alaska Air Group.

“With 50 years’ experience in developing, certifying and supporting regional aircraft, Embraer is in a unique position to make viable the introduction of new, disruptive green technologies,” said Arjan Meijer, CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation.

Luis Carlos Affonso, Embraer’s SVP Technology and Corporate Strategy, reported the Energia family of aircraft would provide an important platform for defining future low or no emission models. “We see our role as a developer of novel technologies to help the industry achieve its sustainability targets,” he said. “There’s no easy or single solution in getting to net zero. New technologies and their supporting infrastructure will come online over time. We’re working right now to refine the first airplane concepts, the ones that can start reducing emissions sooner rather than later. Small aircraft are ideal on which to test and prove new propulsion technologies so that they can be scaled up to larger aircraft.”

The first of the new concept craft, the nine-seat Energia Hybrid (E9-HE), would be offered from 2030. Embraer said this hybrid-electric aircraft, powered by two rear-mounted engines with front propellers, would emit 50% less CO2 when used with Jet A1 fuel, and 90% less when operated with sustainable aviation fuel. It would also produce 60% less external noise and have a flight range of 500nm, or 925km, and provide a sustainable option for short haul, low-capacity scheduled flights, corporate or charter operations, emergency services such as medivac, or parcel freight. 

Next, from 2035, would be the nine-seat Energia Electric (E9-FE), a fully-electric powered aircraft for short range flights of up to 200 nm, or 370 km. This model, the only high-wing aircraft of the Energia family, would produce no emissions and 80% less noise from its single, tail mounted engine, featuring dual contra-rotating propellers.

Also from 2035 would be Embraer’s 19-seat, hydrogen-electric Energia H2 Fuel Cell aircraft (E19-H2FC), designed to operate with hydrogen fuel cells as a single power source, or as a hybrid-powered plane with batteries or gas turbines.  Again, this aircraft, with two rear-mounted electric engines and front propellers, would have a range of 200nm/370 km, suitable for higher capacity short range flights. It would produce no carbon emissions, and 70% less external noise.

The fourth, final and largest model in the Energia family would be the zero emission Energia H2 gas turbine, dual-fuel airliner (E50-H2GT), powered by either hydrogen or sustainable aviation fuel, and with 2040 “technology readiness”. It would seat 35-50 passengers, have a range of 350-500nm, or 650-925km, and be 60% quieter than similar-size conventional aircraft.

Embraer is already well-advanced in its sustainability programmes, having tested drop-in sustainable aviation fuels including sugarcane and camelina plant-derived sources on the E-Jet family of regional airliners, and is aiming to make all of its new aircraft compatible with SAF by 2030. It has also test-flown an electric demonstrator aircraft, a single-engine EMB-203 Ipanema, 100% powered by electricity, and is planning to introduce a hydrogen fuel cell demonstrator by 2025. As well, the company is progressing an all-new turboprop aircraft, which would be both 100% SAF-compatible and designed to accommodate the integration of future hydrogen propulsion technologies. It is also developing a fully-electric vertical take-off or landing vehicle, or ‘air taxi’, to enter service in 2026.

The Energia family would be competing with all-new aircraft programmes, including the yet-to-fly 19-seat ES-19 of Swedish start-up Heart Aerospace. The ES-19 has attracted customers ranging from New Zealand regional airline Sounds Air to United Airlines, which, with regional partner Mesa, has announced plans to acquire up to 200 units. Last year, Airbus revealed its own family of concept aircraft through its ZEROe hydrogen power programme. Additionally, the Energia aircraft would be competing with a growing number of electric and hydrogen retrofit programmes for existing types, such as Britten-Norman aircraft.

Britten-Norman and Cranfield Aerospace Solutions are already collaborating on Project Fresson, a programme to integrate hydrogen fuel cell technology into an eight-seat Britten-Norman Islander aircraft, with a view to reinventing the type as a zero-emission commuter plane with higher passenger payload, lower maintenance costs and a faster path to market than an all-new aircraft. The two organisations have now entered a partnership with Isles of Scilly Steamship Group to progress the introduction of zero-emission flights, possibly by 2025, to the Isles, a popular UK tourist destination.

The Group’s fleet includes the eight-aircraft local airline, Skybus, which operates both eight-seat Britten-Norman Islander and 17-seat DH6 Twin Otters on three short-range routes. Chief Executive Stuart Reid said the company had signed a letter of intent for hydrogen-powered aircraft as part of a dual commitment to support both the destination’s environment and the UK government’s plans to decarbonise air transport.

William Hynett, Chief Executive of Britten-Norman, said: “We wish to bring hydrogen-electric aircraft to the market at the earliest possible opportunity so that we can help drive our customers’ success in the new age of air transport. In striving for a zero-carbon future, it is essential that solutions are practical, affordable and sustainable, and we believe that we are well-placed to help achieve these vital goals in a way that will resonate with our global customers, many of whom seek to protect the outstandingly beautiful places in which they operate.”

Last month, ZeroAvia and Alaska Air Group announced they were to collaborate on developing a hydrogen powertrain for a 76-seat, zero-emission regional aircraft. The partner’s engineers will work together to scale ZeroAvia’s existing powertrain platform to produce the ZA2000, an engine family capable of producing between 2,000 and 5,000 kilowatts of power with a 500-mile range. Initially, the technology will be deployed into a full-size De Havilland Q400 aircraft, previously operated by Alaska subsidiary Horizon Air Industries.

UK and US based ZeroAvia will also set up a location in the Seattle area to support the initiative and Alaska has secured options for up to 50 kits to begin converting its regional aircraft to hydrogen-electric power, starting with the Q400. Alaska has joined Seattle-based Amazon Climate Pledge Fund and Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures as investors in ZeroAvia.

US asset investment platform Rose Cay has also announced its support for the ZeroAvia technology and intends to fund the acquisition of existing aircraft, convert them using ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric powertrain system and then lease them to operators worldwide. The deal includes a conditional purchase order for up to 250 engines with deliveries beginning as early as 2024. The two partners said they also intend to develop airport infrastructure projects, with committed offtake agreements, to ensure hydrogen availability.

Earlier this month, ZeroAvia entered into a collaboration with Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) to develop a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) to incorporate a 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain system, the ZA600, into a 19-seat Dornier 228 aircraft. Around 270 Dornier 228 aircraft have been manufactured globally, with 242 currently in service, and the STC would allow retrofit of existing airframes for both Indian military and worldwide operators. HAL also intends to build new aircraft with additional FAA approval, designated Hindustan-228, creating the opportunity to incorporate ZA600 zero-emission engines.

A Dornier 228 based at ZeroAvia’s facility at Cotswold Airport in the UK is being used as the dedicated development platform for the HyFlyer II project, which is progressing the R&D required for the ZA600 powertrain for 19-seat aircraft. The company said it had recently successfully ground-tested the powertrain and reported flight testing using the Dornier 228 would begin “in the coming months to achieve certification and entry into commercial service in 2024”.

ZeroAvia recently held its two-day 2021 Hydrogen Aviation Summit, which can be viewed here.

Top image: Embraer’s Energia family of four concept aircraft

Bottom image: The Project Fresson Britten-Norman Islander aircraft

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 Max narrowbody is the latest aircraft to enter Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator Program, a technology advancement initiative the manufacturer has been running for almost a decade with a host of airline and industry partners. The programme “accelerates innovation by taking promising technologies out of the lab and testing them in the air to solve real-world challenges for airlines, passengers and the environment,” Boeing told Mark Pilling. Since the first programme in 2012, 195 projects have been tested on eight airplanes and Alaska is the latest carrier to take part following collaborations with American Airlines, TUI, FedEx and Etihad Airways, alongside organisations such as NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency.

A further 20 projects are planned to debut on Alaska’s 737, said Rae Lutters, ecoDemonstrator Program Director and Chief Engineer, speaking during a recent Boeing briefing. About a third of the technologies tested to date have made their way onto products on Boeing airliners, she explained.

The Alaska Airlines 737 Max will be operated by Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator team during a testing phase slated for June to December this year. The brand-new aircraft will feature a special livery that it will retain when it enters revenue service with the carrier in mid-2022, said Lutters.

“We have a long history of working with Boeing to advance aviation technology, safety and fuel efficiency,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines’ VP Public Affairs and Sustainability. “This work with Boeing to accelerate innovation on the ecoDemonstrator programme enables us to contribute to a more sustainable future for our global community.”

Added Lutters: “We have a large pipeline of technologies we are looking at for years ahead and those drive the airline platform we’d like to choose. With the right platform and if an airline has an interest in their sustainability mission we see if there is a good fit.”

The 737-9 Max is that platform and Alaska Airlines as the interested airline meant the two came together in “the right place at the right time,” she said.

“The technologies being explored mainly have a positive impact on an aspect of furthering sustainable aviation. This is embedded in our DNA now.”

According to Doug Christensen, Boeing Technical Fellow and ecoDemonstrator Program Technical Leader, the main technologies being investigated on Alaska’s 737 Max include:

• Testing a new fire extinguishing agent for aircraft that significantly reduces effects on the ozone layer. This material is intended to replace Halon 1301, which is no longer being produced;
• Collaborating with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to measure greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere to support the agency’s climate modelling and long-term forecasting. Ultimately, the measurement equipment will be installed on various commercial airplanes to gather data for NOAA;
• Evaluating acoustic lining concepts within the engine nacelle that may reduce noise on current engines and will inform designs for next-generation models; and
• Recycling carbon composite material from Boeing 777X wing production into a cabin sidewall panel. This durable, light material would reduce fuel use and carbon emissions, and supports Boeing’s goals for sustainable manufacturing.

One of the first technologies to enter the ecoDemonstrator Program was winglets, which were tested on an American Airlines 737-800 in 2012. These are now fitted to the 737 Max and help reduce fuel burn. Others to come through are iPad apps that provide real-time weather and other data to pilots, improving fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions, while there is a camera system on the new 777X that will enhance safety by helping pilots avoid obstacles on the ground, said Boeing.

The 2018 programme featured a FedEx 777F freighter that flew successfully with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), making history as the world’s first commercial airliner to fly on 100% SAF.

Test flights in the current ecoDemonstrator phase will all feature SAF in blends of 30% SAF to 70% Jet A-1, said Christensen. The SAF is produced from agriculture waste by World Energy.

In January this year, Boeing committed to make sure its commercial airplanes are capable and certified to fly on 100% SAF by 2030. The company also plans to work with regulatory authorities and across the industry to raise the current 50% blending limit for expanded use of SAF.

“Boeing put additional emphasis on sustainability in 2020 to align with our stakeholder and business priorities as well as our values,” said Boeing Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Raymond. “Through our collaboration with industry partners, the ecoDemonstrator Program is a great example of our commitment to work together to make flying safer and more sustainable for current and future generations.”

Photo: Boeing

Mark Pilling

GreenAir Contributing Editor

• Linkedin
• Twitter

Alaska Airlines and Oregon-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) outfit SkyNRG Americas have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly invest in SAF production, supply, and use, reports Mark Pilling. The Seattle-based carrier is the latest US airline, following Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, to tie-up with SAF producers to gain access to alternative fuels. The MoU allows for Alaska Airlines to “collaborate on the development of SkyNRG Americas’ Direct Supply Line (DSL) projects and supporting policies that increase the commercial supply and pricing of SAF and educate the public on the benefits of SAF produced from municipal solid waste and associated waste streams,” a spokesperson for SkyNRG told GreenAir. A Direct Supply Line is SkyNRG’s terminology for a SAF supply chain that consists of local feedstock, a commercial SAF production plant and long-term offtake partners.

“Offtake agreements are part of collaboration between Alaska and SkyNRG Americas and more details will be announced in the future,” said the company. “SkyNRG Americas is developing SAF production facilities in North America, focusing on the US West Coast.”

“This is a critical next step in our long-term plan to reduce carbon emissions and our impact on the planet,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines’ VP Public Affairs and Sustainability. “We have been working for more than a decade to advance SAF technology and viability, and we’re excited to partner with SkyNRG’s experienced team to advance truly sustainable production of SAF, develop supply in the Pacific Northwest and engage partners for a commercially viable and scalable future for sustainable fuels.”

John Plaza, CEO of SkyNRG Americas described Alaska Airlines as one of the most fuel-efficient airlines in the US. “It is an ideal partner not only to support SAF demand but also to help drive necessary policy changes that will encourage development of the SAF industry across the Pacific Northwest and the nation as a whole.”

The partners will focus on SAF made from municipal sold waste (MSW) and other waste-based feedstock sources that have the potential to reduce GHG emissions by more than 80% and reduce particulate matter by 90%. They say significant volumes of MSW are available throughout the US that could be diverted from landfill. Of critical importance, they stress, will be to continue work to maximise recycling and reduce waste streams before any conversion of MSW to SAF occurs.

The collaboration builds on an agreement between Alaska Airlines, SkyNRG and Microsoft announced in October 2020, aiming to use SAF to offset Microsoft employee travel on Alaska Airlines services between Seattle and San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles (see article). This sees Microsoft buying SAF credits from SkyNRG, with those credits used by SkyNRG to supply SAF produced by World Energy.

Alaska Airlines has been an early adopter of SAF beginning in 2010 with test flights and it continues to regularly use SAF offtake at San Francisco International Airport. At the end of March, the airline confirmed its membership of oneworld, which was the first airline alliance to commit its members to a net-zero emissions by 2050 target.

Photo: Alaska Airlines

Mark Pilling

Contributing Editor, GreenAir

Add your content…

• Linkedin
• Twitter

Microsoft, Alaska Airlines and SkyNRG have entered into agreements whereby employees of the software giant will have the CO2 emissions from their air travel between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and three West Coast destinations reduced through sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) credits purchased from SkyNRG. The funds from the credits will be used by SkyNRG to supply SAF produced by World Energy in California and delivered to the airport fuelling system used by Alaska Airlines. The three companies hope the partnership, the first of its kind in the United States, will serve as a model for other companies and organisations that are committed to reducing the environmental impact of business air travel. They said they would explore expanding the programme in the future and are supporting the development of a global environmental accounting standard for voluntary corporate SAF purchases.

“After a decade advancing sustainable aviation fuel, this partnership marks a significant milestone in the work to make SAF a commercially-viable aviation fuel alternative,” said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines. “SAF enables us to fly cleaner and reduce our impact on the environment. However, we cannot do this alone – we must work together with other industries and business leaders like Microsoft and SkyNRG, among others who are thinking big, to achieve our goals and grow the marketplace for SAF.”

The agreement between Alaska and Microsoft relates to flights by Microsoft employees from Seattle-Tacoma to San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles airports – the three most popular routes they travel on Alaska.

As part of Microsoft’s partnership agreement with SkyNRG, Microsoft will become the newest member of Board Now, a coalition of organisations committed to reducing carbon emissions from flying through directly contributing to the development of new SAF production capacity.

The SAF produced by World Energy uses waste oils and is claimed to deliver a life-cycle carbon reduction of 75% compared to fossil jet fuel and sustainability is guaranteed by SkyNRG through certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials.

“The emergence of a SAF production system and market is a once-in-a-century opportunity to launch a new energy source for an entire industry, guided by strong sustainability standards from day one,” said Theye Veen, SkyNRG’s Managing Director. “We are very pleased to be joined by leading companies Microsoft and Alaska Airlines in this next step.”

Microsoft has committed to be carbon negative by 2030 and by 2050 remove from the environment more carbon than it has emitted since its founding.

The company’s EVP Worldwide Commercial Business, Judson Althoff, told a World Economics Forum webinar this week that Microsoft’s carbon emissions from employee air travel accounted for around 400,000 tonnes each year.

“It’s easy to do certain things in getting to net zero carbon but air travel is one of the more difficult ones, so this year we decided to make an additional commitment relative to sustainability and while right now not many of us are travelling we do expect business travel to return to significant and substantial levels,” he said. 

“To address the challenge, we have formed partnerships with airlines like KLM and Alaska to invest in SAF for our business flights. In October, we partnered with KLM to purchase an amount of SAF equivalent to all flights taken by Microsoft employees between the US and the Netherlands. We’ve now built on this momentum by announcing a partnership with Alaska to acquire SAF for the total amount of fuel we would burn on Alaska for our busiest and most common routes for business travel.

“Whilst Covid has created a bit of relief on business travel, we expect to continue to travel in the future to engage with our customers and support them around the world, and we want to return to flying responsibly. 

“Right now, SAF is more expensive and so it is harder for energy companies to justify production, so you end up with a chicken and egg conundrum between supply and demand. In order to break this cycle, companies like Microsoft need to step forward so that energy companies can see the demand signal and produce more SAF, and so the costs will come down to allow airlines like KLM and Alaska to purchase more SAF. At the end of the day, we’re all in this together.”

Microsoft, SkyNRG and Alaska are participating in a pilot project of the World Economics Forum’s ‘Clean Skies for Tomorrow’ initiative to develop a global environmental accounting standard for voluntary corporate SAF purchases. They have also pledged to hold supplier and corporate forums to share learnings and increase interest in using SAF to lower the carbon emissions from business travel.

Photo: Alaska Airlines (Chad Slattery)