United Airlines invests in Twelve to develop hydrogen-based sustainable aviation fuel.

United Airlines has invested in hydrogen-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) start-up Twelve as part of its $83m Series C funding round.

Made through its United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, the total investment is expected to support Twelve’s plans to develop its first commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in the United States.

Once operational, the Moses Lake plant is expected to produce up to 50,000 gallons of SAF per year. This will be achieved by combining captured CO2 with hydrogen to create synthetic hydrocarbons, which will be refined into jet fuel.

Additionally, Twelve has also secured a 14-year agreement to supply 260 million gallons of SAF to the International Airlines Group (IAG), which includes airlines such as British Airways and Iberia.

“Scaling the SAF industry is the major hurdle air travel needs to clear to increase the supply and reduce the price of lower carbon fuels,” noted Andrew Chang, Head of United Airlines Ventures.

The startup will be part of United Airlines’ broader strategy to achieve Net-Zero emissions by 2050, without relying on traditional carbon offsets.

Twelve CEO Nicholas Flanders stated that the company’s alternative SAF fuel will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional jet fuel.

“Because we can deliver our E-Jet sustainable aviation fuel at scale, Twelve is proudly creating a realistic pathway to carbon-neutral aviation that meets both operational demands and climate goals,” the CEO added.

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