Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) – At the world’s greatest industry program in Las Vegas luxury jets are tempting buyers with their streamlined silhouettes, luxurious cabins – and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display novel types 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 airlines, have bowed to environmental pressure on aviation and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that embracing eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions might make service jets more attractive to ecologically conscious purchasers – specifically corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The schedule of less contaminating personal jets might also spare the abundant and popular the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain’s Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a recent personal jet trip to southern France.

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

The most recent waste-based fuels consist of «fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market,» said Bryan Sherbacow, primary industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

«All of our product is inedible.»

A few of the other 79 aircraft on display screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel mixes anticipated to be pumped at the show.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions worldwide, however can release, typically, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has actually safeguarded his periodic use of personal jets to guarantee his family’s safety, and has stated that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his itinerary have added fresh challenges for a market already striving to justify its contribution to cutting business costs.

«Incidents of flight shaming involving using personal jets are unfortunate when you think about that our market has provided fuel performance enhancements of 40% over the past 40 years,» stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel usage will assist the market make inroads with corporations and wealthy buyers. According to market information, billionaires only have a 19% organization jet ownership rate.

But even an image makeover – with jets sporting stickers like «this airplane flies on eco-friendly fuels» and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for checking out aircrafts – is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

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

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

Demand from business jet operators for renewable fuels now far surpasses 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 as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and experts are likewise seeing more interest from consumers who desire to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

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

«At the end of the day, I believe that rate, cost per hour, variety, speed and performance, that’s still the (sales) chauffeur. But I believe individuals are becoming more aware of the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world.» (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)