São José dos Campos, Brazil. 14 February 2024. Embraer announced that the company will join the United Airlines Ventures (UAV) Sustainable Flight Fund SM, an investment vehicle focused on scaling up the supply and availability of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) through investing in innovative startups.
Launched in February 2023, the fund has grown to include 22 corporate partners from cross-industry businesses that, along with United, have committed more than $200 million in capital to invest in startups aiming to decarbonize the air travel ecosystem.
“Embraer is proud to join United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, which is aligned with our commitment to develop and support innovative solutions to address the growing need for a clean energy transition in aviation,” said Leonardo Garnica, head of corporate innovation at Embraer. “In a joint collaborative effort with our partners, we can accelerate large-scale SAF production as the aviation industry progresses toward the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.”
The increase of SAF availability is a key driving factor to achieving aviation sustainability since utilization of renewable energy sources can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel. Increasing SAF availability is one of Embraer’s targets as it aims to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040.
Embraer’s commitment to sustainability is an integral part of its business strategy. The company has successfully performed flight tests on 100% neat SAF and continues to explore new ways to reduce its environmental impact through strategic partnerships, innovation, and research and development on zero-emission alternative propulsion systems.
