Brazilian planemaker Embraer, the world’s third-largest jet manufacturer, joined 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 startup investments.
The Brazilian company is the 23rd partner of the fund, which was launched in February last year. Together, these companies have committed more than USD 200 million to the fund.
According to Embraer, increasing the availability of SAF is a key driving factor in achieving the sector’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 — the use of renewable energy sources can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 percent compared to conventional jet fuel. Increasing the availability of SAF is also in line with Embraer’s goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040.
Last September, the company conducted flight tests on two aircraft using 100 percent SAF. It flew its demonstrator Phenom 300E and prototype Praetor 600 at its U.S. headquarters in Florida. Both airplanes have separate fuel tanks supplying each of their engines, one running on conventional fuel and the other on SAF.
Although the pilots did not notice any change in performance, most of the seals and valves on both aircraft had to be replaced at the beginning of the test due to the lack of aromatic compounds in the SAF, which are needed to support the seals in the air conditioning system. Overall, the test was considered a success.
Embraer says all of its aircraft are currently approved to use a blend of up to 50 percent SAF mixed with conventional jet fuel, according to ASTM International specifications. However, future specifications that allow for fuels containing up to 100 percent SAF can maximize the potential for emissions reductions by using sustainable, non-fossil-based sources.
Since 2021, the company has also been working on its so-called Energia program, which focuses on electric craft powered by hydrogen cells and a dual-fuel propeller aircraft capable of running on liquid hydrogen or SAF.
The aircraft manufacturer entered the fund via its Embraer Ventures Fund, its corporate venture arm with a portfolio of more than 40 startups. Besides zero-emission solutions, the fund is also focused on other critical topics for the future of air mobility, such as autonomous flight, AI, industry 4.0, airframe competitiveness, cybersecurity, and new ways of improving passenger experience.
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