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

Hermine Osburn edited this page 2025-01-12 04:05:51 +08:00

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest market program in Las Vegas luxury jets are luring buyers with their smooth shapes, luxurious cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display novel forms of air travel fuel deemed less hazardous to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the definitely less attractive meat waste.

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

Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to suppress emissions might make business jets more appealing to environmentally conscious buyers - particularly corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The availability of less contaminating personal jets could also spare the rich and well-known the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a recent private jet trip to southern France.

Five Gulfstream jets on display screen in Las Vegas are utilizing 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 industry," 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 product is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total annual carbon emissions globally, however can produce, usually, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.

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

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his schedule have added fresh difficulties for an industry already making every effort to validate its contribution to cutting business costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming including making use of private jets are unfortunate when you consider that our market has provided fuel effectiveness enhancements 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 wealthy buyers. According to market information, billionaires only have a 19% service jet ownership rate.

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for visiting aircrafts - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

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

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

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

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

Corporate charter business and experts are likewise seeing more interest from clients who wish to buy carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.

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

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