15-07-2022

Twelve and Alaska Airlines to collaborate with Microsoft to advance sustainable aviation fuel derived from recaptured CO2 and renewable energy

Carbon transformation company Twelve, Alaska Air Group Inc., and Microsoft Corp. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on advancing the market for sustainable aviation fuels to include fuels derived from recaptured CO₂ and renewable energy, and working toward the first commercial demonstration flight in the United States powered by Twelve's E-Jet. 

Through the first-of-its-kind agreement, Twelve, Alaska, and Microsoft will work to advance production and use of Twelve's E-Jet, a low carbon jet fuel produced by a power-to-liquids process leveraging the company's carbon transformation technology, which uses only renewable energy, water, and CO₂ as inputs to transform CO₂ into a variety of critical chemicals and materials conventionally made from fossil fuels. As part of the work outlined to advance the scalability and use of the technology, the companies will work toward a demonstration flight using E-Jet, and to supply the fuel to address some of Microsoft's business travel on Alaska.

Produced using Twelve's carbon transformation technology and in partnership with Emerging Fuels Technology, E-Jet is a fuel with over 80 percent lower lifecycle emissions. Transitioning to E-Jet will not only reduce reliance on fossil fuels but will release fewer particulates and reduce impacts on neighboring communities. In March, Shopify, one of the largest corporate purchasers of long-term carbon removal, announced the first purchase of E-Jet through the company's Sustainability Fund.

SAF is a core part of Alaska's five-part pathway to net zero by 2040. Since 2010, Alaska has worked with various public and private partners to advance public policies needed to jumpstart the nascent SAF market, create new offtake agreements and cultivate partnerships to accelerate market development. Alaska was also a founding member of the Aviators Group of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Buyers Alliance, announced at COP26, bringing an operator's perspective to collaborations driving demand and supply.