United Airlines makes environmental commitment

United, which in 2018 became the first US airline to commit to reducing its GHG emissions by 50% by 2050, will advance towards carbon neutrality by committing to a multimillion-dollar investment in revolutionary atmospheric carbon capture technology known as Direct Air Capture – rather than indirect measures like carbon-offsetting – in addition to continuing to invest in the development and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

"As the leader of one of the world's largest airlines, I recognise our responsibility in contributing to fight climate change, as well as our responsibility to solve it," said Scott Kirby, United's Chief Executive Officer. "These game-changing technologies will significantly reduce our emissions, and measurably reduce the speed of climate change – because buying carbon offsets alone is just not enough. Perhaps most importantly, we're not just doing it to meet our own sustainability goal; we're doing it to drive the positive change our entire industry requires so that every airline can eventually join us and do the same."

Rather than simply taking a conventional approach to decarbonisation by relying solely on the purchase of carbon offsets, United intends to make a multimillion-dollar investment in 1PointFive Inc., a partnership between Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, a subsidiary of Occidental, and Rusheen Capital Management. 1PointFive's mission is to curb the rise in global temperatures by physically removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air using Direct Air Capture technology licensed from Carbon Engineering.

Direct Air Capture technology is one of the few proven ways to physically correct for aircraft emissions, and can scale to capture millions and potentially billions of metric tons of CO₂ per year. The captured CO₂ will then be permanently, safely and securely stored deep underground by Occidental, a process certified by independent third parties. The commitment will help 1PointFive build the first industrial-sized Direct Air Capture plant in the US. A single plant is expected to capture and permanently sequester 1 million tpy of CO₂.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/the-environment/11122020/united-airlines-makes-environmental-commitment/