United Airlines invests in CO₂-to-Jet fuel Innovator Twelve in push for cleaner aviation

May 6, 2025 in Companies, Finance, Hydrocarbons, Investment, Transport, Travel & Tourism by Editor

United Airlines has announced a strategic investment in Twelve, a climate tech company that converts carbon dioxide and water into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using renewable energy. The move is part of United’s effort to scale up cleaner alternatives to conventional jet fuel and aligns with its long-term decarbonization goals.

The investment was made through the United Airlines Ventures (UAV) Sustainable Flight Fund, a USD200 million initiative aimed at accelerating the commercial viability of low-carbon aviation technologies. Twelve’s breakthrough process—often described as an industrial version of photosynthesis—uses captured CO₂, water, and renewable electricity to create hydrocarbons that can be refined into jet fuel, plastics, and other materials.

United’s backing comes shortly after Twelve’s USD83 million Series C funding round and the company’s project financing for its first commercial SAF plant, AirPlant™ One, located in Moses Lake, Washington. The facility is expected to produce 50,000 gallons of SAF annually starting later this year.

Twelve recently inked one of the industry’s largest SAF contracts to date—a 14-year agreement to supply 260 million gallons of fuel to a major European airline group.

“Scaling the SAF industry is the major hurdle air travel needs to clear in order to increase the supply and reduce the price of lower carbon fuels,” said Andrew Chang, Managing Director of United Airlines Ventures. “Twelve has differentiated themselves through the capital they have raised and the SAF contracts they have secured, providing them with the flexibility to commercialize their technology and grow their operations expediently.”

According to Twelve, its E-Jet® fuel could cut lifecycle emissions by up to 90pc compared to conventional fossil-based jet fuel.

“This is a turning point for Twelve,” said Nicholas Flanders, the company’s co-founder and CEO. “United’s Sustainable Flight Fund’s investment reinforces our momentum at a pivotal moment as we move from innovation to implementation,” said Nicholas Flanders, co-founder & CEO of Twelve.

“With AirPlant One launching imminently and strong a collaboration with United, we’re not just envisioning the decarbonization of air travel—we’re actively building it. Because we have the capability to 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.”

Twelve’s SAF is produced through its proprietary Opus™ system, which uses electrolysis and chemical transformation to synthesize hydrocarbons. Because the process uses captured carbon and renewable power, it avoids the emissions typically associated with petroleum refining.

The investment is the latest in a series of moves by United to lead the airline industry toward a lower-carbon future. The Sustainable Flight Fund has support from a wide range of corporate partners, including Boeing, GE Aerospace, JetBlue Ventures, Embraer, and Google, among others.

As the aviation industry faces growing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, United’s bet on Twelve signals confidence in power-to-liquid fuel as a scalable and viable solution for long-haul flight decarbonization.