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 greatest market show in Las Vegas high-end jets are tempting purchasers with their sleek silhouettes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their usage of alternative fuels.


Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display unique types of air travel fuel considered less damaging to the climate, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less attractive meat waste.


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


Their hope is that embracing sustainable fuel to suppress emissions could make business jets more appealing to environmentally mindful buyers - particularly corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.


The availability of less contaminating private jets could also spare the abundant and well-known the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan over a recent personal jet trip 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 industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief commercial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.


"All of our item is inedible."


Some of the other 79 airplane on screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel blends anticipated to be pumped at the show.


FLIGHT SHAMING


Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions worldwide, however can release, usually, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.


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


But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his schedule have included fresh obstacles for a market already aiming to justify its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.


"Incidents of flight shaming including using personal jets are regrettable when you think about that our market has provided fuel performance enhancements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.


Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel usage will help the market make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. According to industry 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 checking out airplanes - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.


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


"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make service 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, could broaden production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.


Corporate charter companies and specialists are likewise 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 usage study his business recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.


"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, expense per hour, variety, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) motorist. But I believe individuals are ending up being more familiar with 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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