1 Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show
Bettie Gatlin edited this page 2025-01-11 19:35:13 -08:00


By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest market show in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing purchasers with their sleek silhouettes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to showcase novel forms of aviation fuel considered less damaging to the environment, from used cooking oil to the clearly less attractive meat waste.

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

Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to suppress emissions might make business jets more appealing to environmentally mindful buyers - especially corporations facing concerns over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The schedule of less contaminating personal jets could also spare the rich and famous the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan over a recent private jet journey to southern France.

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

The current waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief industrial 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 airplane on display are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel blends anticipated to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

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

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

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

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

Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel usage will help the industry make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. According to market information, billionaires just have a 19% service jet ownership rate.

But even an image makeover - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for visiting planes - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.

Environmentalists and some experts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, typically blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant impact on public understandings about high-end travel.

"No amount of Jatropha or Brazil-nut fuel can make business jets look eco-friendly," stated air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from company 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 consumers who want to purchase carbon credits to balance out emissions from their .

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a role in a corporate jet utilization research study his company recently finished 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) driver. But I think individuals are becoming more knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)