1

Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show

Lanny Forrest edited this page 2025-01-18 11:19:58 +11:00

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant industry show in Las Vegas luxury jets are drawing purchasers with their streamlined shapes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to showcase novel kinds of air travel fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from used cooking oil to the definitely less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airline companies, have actually bowed to ecological pressure on aviation and dedicated to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

Their hope is that embracing sustainable fuel to curb emissions might make business jets more attractive to ecologically mindful buyers - particularly corporations facing concerns over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The schedule of less contaminating private jets could also spare the abundant and popular the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a current personal jet trip to southern France.

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

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

"All of our item is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total annual carbon emissions internationally, however can release, typically, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.

Prince Harry has actually protected his occasional usage of personal jets to guarantee his household's security, and has stated that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say events such as the furore over his itinerary have added fresh challenges for an industry already aiming to validate its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving using private jets are regrettable when you think about that our market has actually delivered fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for checking out aircrafts - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some analysts remain doubtful that biojetfuels, normally mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant influence on public understandings about high-end travel.

"No quantity of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly," stated air Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from business jet operators for renewable fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest might drive future production, Sherbacow said.

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

Corporate charter companies and specialists are likewise seeing more interest from clients who wish to purchase carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a function in a corporate jet usage research study his company recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.

"At the end of the day, I think that cost, cost per hour, range, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I think people are becoming more knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it affects the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)