1 Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show

Reynaldo Simos edited this page 2 months ago

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's biggest industry show in Las Vegas high-end jets are tempting buyers with their streamlined silhouettes, plush cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to display unique forms of air travel fuel considered less hazardous to the climate, from used cooking oil to the definitely less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually bowed to ecological pressure on aviation and devoted to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that embracing sustainable fuel to suppress emissions might make company jets more attractive to purchasers - particularly corporations facing concerns over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less polluting personal jets could likewise spare the abundant and popular the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his partner Meghan over a current personal jet trip to southern France.

Five Gulfstream jets on display screen in Las Vegas are using California-produced fuel from inedible beef tallow.

The newest waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, primary business officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

A few of the other 79 aircraft on display are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions worldwide, but can give off, typically, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has safeguarded his periodic use of private jets to ensure his household's safety, and has actually said that on the unusual events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say occurrences such as the furore over his travel plan have actually added fresh obstacles for a market currently aiming to justify its contribution to cutting business costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving the use of private jets are unfortunate when you consider that our industry has provided fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel use will help the industry make inroads with corporations and wealthy purchasers. According to market data, billionaires only have a 19% organization jet ownership rate.

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting stickers like "this aircraft flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for going to planes - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some experts stay hesitant that biojetfuels, typically mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial impact on public perceptions about high-end travel.

"No quantity of Jatropha or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly," said aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from company jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far surpasses supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow stated.

World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, could expand production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and experts are likewise seeing more interest from customers who wish to buy carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions played a role in a corporate jet usage study his company just recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.

"At the end of the day, I believe that rate, expense per hour, variety, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) chauffeur. But I believe people are becoming more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)