United Airline’s Investment in Heirloom’s Carbon Removal

With 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions coming from aviation, companies need to invest in the removal of carbon emissions from our atmosphere.

United Airlines Ventures (UAV) has announced that its fund, the UAV Sustainable Flight Fund (UAVSFF) is making an investment into carbon dioxide reduction (CDR) technology.

The UAVSFF has announced its purchase to remove 500,000 tons of CO₂ with help from direct air capture company Heirloom.

Inside the UAVSFF and Heirloom collaboration 

By integrating Heirloom's measurable and quantifiable CDR technology into its extensive decarbonisation portfolio, the UAVSFF has also secured the right to purchase up to 500,000 tons of CDR.

The large purchase will be for use in sustainable aviation fuel production or permanent underground storage.

Heirloom's scalable technology accelerates limestone’s natural ability to capture CO₂ directly from the air, positioning it as one of the most cost-effective carbon removal solutions. 

"We are incredibly proud to welcome the United Sustainable Flight Fund as an investor and to work with them to scale our direct air capture (DAC) technology," says Shashank Samala, CEO of Heirloom. 

"By utilising DAC as a dual-pronged tool that can both greatly reduce CO₂ emissions from aviation fuel and remove residual emissions, we are charting a true path to net zero aviation."

This investment to Heirloom marks UAV's third carbon capture investment but its first in a company commercialising DAC technology. 

Unlike point source capture, which targets emissions at their origin, DAC extracts CO₂ directly from the atmosphere.

The UAVSFF SM is a pioneering investment vehicle designed to unite cross-industry businesses in backing start-ups focused on decarbonising air travel. 

With more than US$200m in investment commitments, the fund includes contributions from United and corporate partners including: 

• Air Canada
• Air New Zealand
• Aircastle (a Marubeni & Mizuho Leasing Company)
• American Express Global Business Travel
• Aviation Capital Group
• Boeing
• Boston Consulting Group
• Embraer
• GE Aerospace
• Google
• Groupe ADP
• Hawaiian Airlines
• HIS
• Honeywell
• JetBlue Ventures
• Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking
• Safran Corporate Ventures
• Technip Energies.

About UAV

The airline operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers and is now the world's largest airline by available seat miles.

UAV is also investing in multiple SAF production methods, including:

• Algae-based fuel (Viridos)
• Ethanol-based fuel (Blue Blade Energy)
• Garbage-to-fuel conversion (Fulcrum BioEnergy)
• Power-to-liquid fuel derived from green hydrogen
• Captured CO₂ (Dimensional Energy).

"Carbon capture is one of our country's fastest-growing, energy-enabling pathways," explains Andrew Chang, Managing Director of UAV. 

"At UAV, our primary focus is finding solutions for decarbonisation that are profitable. Heirloom's technology aligns directly with this objective, offering a scalable and commercially viable approach and complements United's commitment to net zero by 2050." 

The fund also backs electric aircraft development, including its investment in Heart Aerospace, aiming to launch regional electric flights by the end of the decade. 

UAV is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets. 

This includes cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 100%, replacing at least 5% of conventional jet fuel with SAF by 2030 and investing in zero-emission, hydrogen-electric engines for regional aircraft.

About Heirloom

Founded in 2020, Heirloom has quickly become a key player in sustainable carbon capture.

Heirloom is a leading DAC company in the US, focused on innovative carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology.

Heirloom’s DAC technology uses limestone to remove CO₂ from the air, offering a cost-effective, scalable solution powered by renewable energy. 

The company prioritises genuine emissions reductions, refusing investments from oil majors and ensuring captured CO₂ is not used for fossil fuel extraction.

Its first commercial DAC facility in Tracy, California, removes 1,000 tons of CO₂ annually, with a second Louisiana project targeting 17,000 tons per year. 

A US$600m US Department of Energy award will fund a Louisiana DAC hub – capable of removing one million tons per year.

Heirloom’s customers include Microsoft, Stripe, Meta and H&M Group, with investment from the United Sustainable Flight Fund and Mitsubishi Corporation. 

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