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United Sustainable Flight Fund Invests in Heirloom to Scale Direct Air Capture
UALUnited(UAL) Prnewswire·2025-02-25 16:00

Core Insights - United Airlines announced an investment in Heirloom, a direct air capture (DAC) company, through the UAV Sustainable Flight Fund, enhancing its portfolio of decarbonization strategies [1][3] - The UAV Sustainable Flight Fund has over 200millionincommitmentsfromvariouscorporatepartners,aimedatsupportingstartupsfocusedondecarbonizingairtravel[4]−Heirloom′stechnologyutilizeslimestonetocaptureCO2fromtheatmosphere,positioningitasalow−costsolutionforcarbondioxideremoval[2][3]InvestmentDetails−TheUAVSustainableFlightFundhassecuredtherighttopurchaseupto500,000tonsofcarbondioxideremoval,whichcanbeusedforsustainableaviationfuelproductionorpermanentundergroundstorage[1]−ThismarksUnited′sthirdinvestmentincarboncapture,specificallyfocusingonacompanythatcommercializesdirectaircapturetechnology[3]CompanyBackground−Heirloom,foundedin2020,operatesNorthAmerica′sfirstcommercialDACfacilityinTracy,California,andisinvolvedinProjectCypress,whichiseligibleforupto200 million in commitments from various corporate partners, aimed at supporting startups focused on decarbonizing air travel [4] - Heirloom's technology utilizes limestone to capture CO2 from the atmosphere, positioning it as a low-cost solution for carbon dioxide removal [2][3] Investment Details - The UAV Sustainable Flight Fund has secured the right to purchase up to 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide removal, which can be used for sustainable aviation fuel production or permanent underground storage [1] - This marks United's third investment in carbon capture, specifically focusing on a company that commercializes direct air capture technology [3] Company Background - Heirloom, founded in 2020, operates North America's first commercial DAC facility in Tracy, California, and is involved in Project Cypress, which is eligible for up to 600 million in government funding [5] - The DAC technology developed by Heirloom is designed to significantly reduce CO2 emissions from aviation fuel and address residual emissions, contributing to the goal of net-zero aviation [3] Industry Context - The UAV Sustainable Flight Fund is a pioneering investment vehicle aimed at leveraging cross-industry support to foster innovation in decarbonizing air travel [4] - The investment aligns with United's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, reflecting a broader industry trend towards sustainable aviation practices [3]