Flights at O’Hare International Airport could soon be partly powered by lower-emission fuel made from leftover fats, oils and greases.
Sustainable aviation fuel is set to become available for use by carriers that fly in and out of the busy airport, after Chicago-based United Airlines became the first to purchase the fuel at O’Hare, the carrier announced Wednesday.
Sustainable fuel is seen as key to meeting the aviation industry’s goals to cut emissions. The purchase was touted as a win by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who highlighted a recently-enacted state tax credit for sustainable jet fuel.
United purchased up to 1 million gallons of fuel from producer Neste to be delivered to O’Hare this year, with the first delivery expected Saturday. The sustainable fuel will go into a centralized system at O’Hare where it will be mixed with traditional jet fuel, and the mix will be available to all carriers at the airport. For now, sustainable fuel must be blended with conventional fuel for use in commercial aircraft.
Sustainable aviation fuel is already in use elsewhere, and the Neste fuel is available at at least 25 airports globally, according to the company. For United, O’Hare will be the fifth airport where the carrier will purchase sustainable aviation fuel, after airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Amsterdam.
Aviation makes up 2% of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and 12% of transportation emissions. In the U.S., use of sustainable fuel jumped to 15.8 million gallons in 2022, data from the energy department shows.
United said sustainable fuel can lower greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 85% when the entire lifecyle is taken into account, including how it’s made and how it’s delivered to airports.
In Illinois, when it comes to clean energy and transportation innovation, Pritzker has tried to position the state as a hub. That has included a focus on electric vehicles, such as a tax credit deal to bring electric school bus- and truck-maker Lion Electric to Joliet, where the plant has been operating below capacity.
It has also included the jet fuel tax credit, which allows carriers to earn a credit of $1.50 per gallon purchased.
“Illinois’s position as a hub of innovation with some of the most connected airports in the country perfectly aligns with the work of companies like United to build a more sustainable future for travel and reach our shared goal of zero emissions,” Pritzker said in a statement.
United President Brett Hart said the tax credit enabled the purchase of sustainable jet fuel at O’Hare.
“While the market for SAF is still in its infancy, there is a huge opportunity today for airlines and policymakers to work together to support its continued growth,” he said in a statement. “(Sustainable aviation fuel) at O’Hare was made possible thanks to Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Legislature passing tax incentives.”
