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

Natalie Shufelt edited this page 2025-01-11 16:43:47 +01:00

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest industry program in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing buyers with their sleek silhouettes, luxurious cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are eager to showcase unique types of air travel fuel deemed less harmful to the climate, from used cooking oil to the distinctly less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have bowed to environmental pressure on air travel and committed to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

Their hope is that embracing sustainable fuel to curb emissions could make company jets more attractive to ecologically mindful purchasers - particularly corporations dealing with questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The availability of less jets might also spare the abundant and famous the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his partner Meghan over a current private jet trip to southern France.

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

The current waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief commercial officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions globally, but can discharge, usually, as much as 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has actually defended his periodic use of private jets to ensure his family's safety, and has actually said that on the uncommon celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say events such as the furore over his itinerary have actually included fresh challenges for a market currently making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving the use of private jets are unfortunate when you consider that our market has provided fuel performance enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on renewable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for going to aircrafts - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

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

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

Demand from company jet operators for sustainable 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 broaden production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and consultants are likewise seeing more interest from customers who wish to buy carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a role in a corporate jet usage research study his business recently finished 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 knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it affects the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)