Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show

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By Allison Lampert By Allison Lampert

By Allison Lampert


LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant market show in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing purchasers with their streamlined shapes, luxurious cabins - and progressively, their usage of alternative fuels.


Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to showcase unique types of air travel fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from used cooking oil to the definitely less glamorous meat waste.


Business jet operators, like airline companies, have acquiesced environmental pressure on air travel and devoted to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.


Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to suppress emissions could make service jets more attractive to ecologically conscious purchasers - especially corporations facing questions over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.


The accessibility of less polluting private jets could likewise spare the rich and well-known the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse 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 newest waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary business officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.


"All of our product is inedible."


Some of the other 79 aircraft on display are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel blends expected to be pumped at the show.


FLIGHT SHAMING


Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions globally, but can produce, usually, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.


Prince Harry has safeguarded his occasional usage of private jets to guarantee his household's security, and has said that on the uncommon celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.


But planemakers state events such as the furore over his schedule have actually added fresh obstacles for an industry already striving to justify its contribution to cutting business costs.


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


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


But even an image transformation - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on renewable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for checking out aircrafts - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet occasion.


Environmentalists and some analysts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, typically blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant influence on public understandings about luxury travel.


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


Demand from company jet operators for renewable fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest might drive future production, Sherbacow stated.


World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, could broaden production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.


Corporate charter companies and consultants are also seeing more interest from consumers who desire 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 function in a business jet utilization study his business recently completed for a Fortune 500 company.


"At the end of the day, I think that cost, cost per hour, range, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) motorist. But I believe 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)

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