Sidley represented United Airlines Ventures, the corporate venture arm of United Airlines, in its new joint venture with Tallgrass Energy and Green Plains to develop and commercialize a novel sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technology that uses ethanol as its feedstock. If the technology is successful, the joint venture — known as Blue Blade Energy — is expected to proceed with the construction of a pilot facility in 2024, followed by a full-scale facility that could begin commercial operations by 2028.
The Sidley team was led by Kevin P. Lewis (Transportation), Stephen B. Ballas (M&A and Private Equity), and Feifei Bian (M&A and Private Equity). The team also included Alex Tanton (Energy), Paul McBride (Energy and Infrastructure), Trent O. Bridges (Energy and Infrastructure), Josh Hofheimer (Agribusiness and Technology), and Jason Lawler (Technology).
