Posted by Courtney E. Howard

CHICAGO, 8 Nov. 2011. Continental Airlines, a subsidiary of United Continental Holdings (NYSE:UAL), made history with the first U.S. commercial flight powered by advanced biofuels. A Boeing 737-800 equipped with a blend of sustainable, advanced biofuel and traditional petroleum-derived jet fuel departed Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport at 10:30 a.m. for Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Flight 1403 solidified United as the first U.S. airline to fly passengers using a combination of biofuel and traditional fuel.

Sustainable biofuels help enhance energy security, diversify the fuel supply, and reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels. United officials have signed a letter of intent with Solazyme to negotiate the purchase of 20 million gallons of jet fuel per year, for delivery as early as 2014.

Solazyme in San Francisco developed the algae oil, which was refined into jet fuel using renewable jet fuel processing technology from Honeywell UOP outside Houston. Solazyme’s 100 percent algae-derived jet fuel, designed for commercial and military applications, powered this historic commercial flight.

"Today, roughly four months since the approval of hydroprocessed renewable fuels in commercial aviation, we are excited to see the deployment of these fuels on a domestic U.S. flight," explains John Heimlich, Air Transport Association of America (ATA) vice president and chief economist. "ATA member airlines continue to demonstrate leadership in fostering new and environmentally preferred sources of energy to transport people and goods throughout the globe."

"United is taking a significant step forward to advance the use of environmentally responsible and cost-efficient alternative fuels," says Pete McDonald, United's executive vice president and chief operations officer. "Sustainable biofuels, produced on a large scale at an economically viable price, can one day play a meaningful role in powering everyone's trip on an airline."

Ensuring safe aviation, the biofuel used on the flight meets the ASTM International specification for bio-derived aviation fuels, approved in July 2011 and referred to as "Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids" (HEFA) fuel. HEFA fuels underwent rigorous testing and review by engine and airframe manufacturers, the U.S. military, the FAA, and airlines.

Solajet, powering this United flight, met the certification requirements established by the ASTM and approved by the FAA. Solajet is derived from Solazyme's oil production process using microbial algae that grow in fermenters by feeding on sugars from plants. Solazyme's technology is biomass feedstock flexible and can be tailored to achieve customer needs in geographies throughout the world.