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

Shay Witzel edited this page 2025-01-11 23:12:56 +08:00

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant industry program in Las Vegas luxury jets are enticing buyers with their smooth shapes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to showcase unique forms of aviation fuel considered less harmful to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the definitely less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have acquiesced environmental pressure on aviation and committed to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that embracing sustainable fuel to suppress emissions might make business jets more attractive to ecologically mindful purchasers - particularly corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.

The availability of less polluting private jets could likewise spare the rich and famous the unfavorable 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 in Las Vegas are utilizing California-produced fuel from inedible beef tallow.

The most current waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, primary industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

A few of the other 79 airplane on screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel mixes expected 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 firm Victor.

Prince Harry has actually safeguarded his periodic usage of private jets to ensure his family's security, and has said that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his travel plan have included fresh obstacles for an industry currently aiming to justify its contribution to cutting business costs.

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

Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel usage will assist the industry make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. According to market data, billionaires only have a 19% organization jet ownership rate.

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on renewable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for going to aircrafts - is not likely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some analysts stay skeptical that biojetfuels, typically mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial effect on public perceptions about luxury travel.

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

Demand from company jet operators for renewable fuels now far goes beyond 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 approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and are also seeing more interest from customers 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 corporate jet usage study his company just recently completed for a Fortune 500 company.

"At the end of the day, I think that rate, expense per hour, variety, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) chauffeur. But I think individuals are ending up being more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)