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

Gertie Waugh edited this page 2025-01-18 01:15:21 +08:00

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest market show in Las Vegas luxury jets are drawing buyers with their streamlined silhouettes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to display novel forms of aviation fuel deemed less hazardous to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to suppress emissions might make service jets more appealing to environmentally conscious purchasers - particularly corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.

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

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

The newest waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

Some of the other 79 aircraft on screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions worldwide, but can emit, 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 guarantee his family's security, and has stated that on the unusual occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say events such as the furore over his itinerary have added fresh obstacles for a market currently making every effort to validate its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

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

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

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for going to airplanes - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.

Environmentalists and some experts remain hesitant that biojetfuels, generally blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable effect on public understandings about luxury travel.

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

Demand from service jet operators for sustainable fuels now far surpasses supply and their interest might 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 consultants are also seeing more interest from clients who wish to buy carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

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

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