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

Genia Derham edited this page 2025-01-12 00:26:00 +00:00

By Allison Lampert

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

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to showcase novel types of air travel fuel considered less harmful to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the definitely less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to suppress emissions could make service jets more appealing to environmentally conscious purchasers - specifically corporations dealing with questions over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.

The availability of less polluting private jets could likewise spare the rich and well-known the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his partner 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 byproducts of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

A few of the other 79 aircraft on screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions globally, however can discharge, usually, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter company Victor.

Prince Harry has actually protected his occasional use of personal jets to ensure his household's security, and has actually stated that on the rare celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his itinerary have added fresh obstacles for an industry currently aiming to validate its contribution to cutting business costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving making use of private jets are regrettable when you consider that our market has actually delivered fuel effectiveness improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image makeover - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for visiting planes - is not likely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some analysts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, normally mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial effect on public perceptions about high-end travel.

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

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

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

Corporate charter companies and experts are likewise seeing more interest from consumers 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 research study his business just recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.

"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, cost per hour, variety, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) motorist. But I think individuals 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)