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

Nicholas Cadman edited this page 5 months ago

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's biggest market program in Las Vegas luxury jets are tempting buyers with their sleek silhouettes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to showcase unique kinds of air travel fuel deemed less harmful to the climate, from used cooking oil to the distinctly less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airline companies, have actually acquiesced environmental pressure on air travel and committed to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that adopting sustainable fuel to curb emissions could make business jets more to environmentally conscious buyers - particularly corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less contaminating personal jets might also spare the abundant and well-known the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his partner Meghan over a current private jet trip to southern France.

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

The most recent waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

Some of the other 79 airplane on screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel blends expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions worldwide, however can release, typically, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has actually defended his periodic use of personal jets to guarantee his household's safety, and has stated that on the unusual celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say occurrences such as the furore over his schedule have included fresh difficulties for an industry currently making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting business expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving making use of personal jets are regrettable when you consider that our industry has actually provided fuel performance enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel use will help the industry make inroads with corporations and rich buyers. According to market data, billionaires just have a 19% business jet ownership rate.

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

Environmentalists and some analysts stay hesitant that biojetfuels, usually combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial influence on public perceptions about high-end travel.

"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly," said air travel analyst Richard Aboulafia.

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

World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, might broaden production approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter companies and experts are likewise seeing more interest from customers who wish to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a role in a business 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 efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I believe individuals are becoming more mindful of the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)