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

Raquel Pitt edited this page 2025-01-13 03:47:43 +08:00

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant market show in Las Vegas high-end jets are luring buyers with their smooth shapes, plush cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are eager to showcase novel forms of air travel fuel considered less harmful to the environment, from used cooking oil to the definitely less attractive meat waste.

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

Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to curb emissions could make service jets more attractive to ecologically mindful buyers - especially corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The schedule of less contaminating personal jets might likewise spare the abundant and famous the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his wife 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 include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions worldwide, however can produce, on average, 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 usage of private jets to ensure his family's security, and has stated that on the rare events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say incidents such as the furore over his itinerary have actually added fresh difficulties for an industry currently striving to validate its contribution to cutting corporate costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming including making use of personal jets are regrettable when you consider that our industry has delivered fuel performance improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel use will assist the market make with corporations and wealthy purchasers. According to industry information, billionaires only have a 19% company jet ownership rate.

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

Environmentalists and some analysts stay hesitant that biojetfuels, typically blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable impact on public perceptions about luxury travel.

"No quantity 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 sustainable 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, might expand production up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and consultants are likewise seeing more interest from customers who want to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions played a role in a business jet utilization study his company just 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) chauffeur. But I think individuals are becoming more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it affects the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)