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 shapes, - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.


Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to showcase novel forms of aviation fuel considered less damaging to the climate, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.


Business jet operators, like airlines, have bowed to environmental pressure on air travel and dedicated to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.


Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to curb emissions could make service jets more appealing to ecologically mindful purchasers - particularly corporations dealing with questions over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.


The accessibility of less contaminating personal jets could also spare the abundant and famous the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a recent private jet journey to southern France.


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


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


"All of our item is inedible."


A few of the other 79 airplane on 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 represent less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions worldwide, however can emit, typically, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.


Prince Harry has actually protected his periodic use of private jets to guarantee his family's safety, and has stated that on the uncommon events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.


But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his travel plan have included fresh difficulties for an industry currently making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.


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


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


But even an image transformation - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for visiting aircrafts - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.


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


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


Demand from organization jet operators for renewable fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest might 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 companies and consultants are also 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 played a function in a business jet utilization research study his company just recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.


"At the end of the day, I think that price, cost per hour, range, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) chauffeur. But I believe people are ending up being more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)