United Airlines invests in carbon removal startup Heirloom

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🗞️ Driving the news: United Airlines (see sustainability performance) has invested in direct air capture (DAC) startup Heirloom, securing rights to purchase 500,000 tons of CO₂ for sequestration or conversion into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
• This marks United's first investment in a company commercializing DAC technology under its Sustainable Flight Fund

🔭 The context: Aviation contributes approximately 3% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, a figure expected to rise
• Sustainable jet fuels are currently available only in limited quantities
• Heirloom's technology accelerates limestone's natural CO₂ absorption, offering a scalable solution for carbon removal

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: By investing in DAC technology, United aims to reduce its carbon footprint and promote the development of cleaner jet fuels, contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts

⏭️ What's next: Heirloom plans to scale its operations, having recently raised $150 million in Series B funding to commercialize its DAC technology
• United's investment and commitment to purchase captured CO₂ will support the expansion of this technology, potentially leading to increased production of sustainable aviation fuels

💬 One quote: "By utilizing DAC as a dual-pronged tool that can both greatly reduce CO₂ emission from aviation fuel and remove residual emissions, we are charting a true path to Net Zero aviation." — Shashank Samala, CEO of Heirloom

📈 One stat: United's Sustainable Flight Fund comprises over $200 million in investment commitments from United and corporate partners, including Embraer, GE Aerospace, and Google

See here detailed sustainability performances of Embraer, Google and United Airlines

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