Two Alaska Airlines jets recently conducted the first trial of alcohol-to-jet fuel. The fuel, created by Gevo, Inc. and made from U.S.-grown, sustainable corn, powered the jets on their trip from Seattle (SEA) to San Francisco (SFO) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). “Alaska is committed to doing its part to reduce its carbon emissions,” said Joseph Sprague, senior vice president of communications and external relations, Alaska Airlines. “Advancing the use of alternative jet fuels is a key part of our emission reduction strategy. Gevo’s jet fuel product is an important step forward, in that it has the potential to be scalable and cost effective, without sacrificing performance.” If the new fuel proves a viable option and Alaska Airlines chooses to replace just 20 percent of its current fuel supply in Seattle, the emissions reduction will equal eliminating 30,000 passenger vehicles from American roadways for one year. “We believe our technology has the potential to be the lowest cost, renewable carbon-based jet fuel, given the efficacy of our technology,” added Pat Gruber, CEO, Gevo. “We look forward to moving forward with Alaska, and others in the airline industry, to make renewable jet fuel widely successful as a product that substitutes for fossil fuels, and ultimately helps to reduce carbon emissions.” The fuel is created from farm-grown corn raised sustainably from seed to harvest, incorporating practices to maximize corn production while minimizing the use of water, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.