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

Stephan Mcdade edited this page 22 hours ago

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant market program in Las Vegas luxury jets are luring buyers with their sleek shapes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to display novel types of air travel fuel deemed less harmful to the climate, from utilized cooking oil to the noticeably less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually acquiesced environmental pressure on air travel and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

Their hope is that embracing eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions might make organization jets more appealing to ecologically mindful purchasers - especially corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.

The accessibility of less contaminating private jets could also spare the rich and famous the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his partner Meghan over a current private jet trip to .

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

The newest waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products 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 anticipated 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 overall annual carbon emissions globally, however can give off, typically, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has defended his occasional usage of private jets to guarantee his family's safety, and has actually said that on the unusual occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say events such as the furore over his schedule have added fresh difficulties for a market already aiming to validate its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

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

Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel usage will help the market make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. According to market data, billionaires just have a 19% service 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 unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some analysts remain skeptical that biojetfuels, generally combined 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 company jets look eco-friendly," stated air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.

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

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

Corporate charter companies and consultants are likewise seeing more interest from customers who want 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 utilization research study his company just recently completed for a Fortune 500 company.

"At the end of the day, I believe that rate, cost per hour, variety, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) chauffeur. 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)