Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) – At the world’s biggest market show in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing buyers with their streamlined silhouettes, plush cabins – and increasingly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to display unique kinds of aviation fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually acquiesced ecological 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 could make company jets more appealing to environmentally conscious purchasers – especially corporations facing questions over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.

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

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

The most recent waste-based fuels include “fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market,” stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief business officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer 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 are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel blends expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions worldwide, but can release, on average, approximately 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 periodic use of private jets to ensure his family’s security, and has said that on the uncommon celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his travel plan have included fresh challenges for a market already making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

“Incidents of flight shaming including making use of private jets are unfortunate when you think about that our market has actually delivered fuel efficiency enhancements of 40% over the past 40 years,” stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image transformation – with jets sporting stickers 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 high-end jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some analysts remain hesitant that biojetfuels, normally combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable influence on public understandings about luxury travel.

“No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly,” stated air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from service jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far exceeds 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 up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and specialists are likewise seeing more interest from customers who wish to purchase 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 business.

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