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Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show

bevbrumbaugh1 edited this page 2025-01-09 17:56:54 +00:00

By Allison Lampert

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

Fuel producers and jetmakers are eager to display unique kinds of aviation fuel considered less damaging to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the definitely less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to suppress emissions could make business jets more attractive to ecologically conscious purchasers - specifically corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The availability of less polluting personal jets could also spare the rich and famous the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his partner Meghan over a recent private jet trip to southern France.

Five Gulfstream jets on display 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 byproducts of the food market," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief business officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

Some of the other 79 airplane on screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel mixes anticipated to be pumped at the show.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions internationally, however can produce, typically, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter company Victor.

Prince Harry has protected his occasional use of private jets to guarantee his household's safety, and has actually said that on the uncommon celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say occurrences such as the furore over his schedule have actually added fresh difficulties for a market currently striving to justify its contribution to cutting business expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving making use of personal jets are unfortunate when you consider that our market has actually delivered fuel performance improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting stickers like "this aircraft flies on renewable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for going to planes - is not likely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

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

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

Demand from business jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow said.

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

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

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

"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, expense per hour, variety, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) driver. But I think individuals are ending up being more knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)