Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show
By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest industry show in Las Vegas high-end jets are luring purchasers with their smooth shapes, plush cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.
Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to showcase novel forms of air travel fuel deemed less damaging to the climate, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually acquiesced environmental pressure on air travel and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.
Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to suppress emissions could make organization jets more attractive to environmentally conscious buyers - specifically corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.
The schedule of less contaminating personal jets could also spare the abundant and popular the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a recent private jet journey to southern France.
Five Gulfstream jets on screen in Las Vegas are utilizing 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," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief industrial 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 airplane on display screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 of other eco-friendly fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the show.
FLIGHT SHAMING
Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions worldwide, however can emit, on average, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.
Prince Harry has actually defended his periodic use of personal jets to ensure his family's security, and has actually stated that on the rare occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.
But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his travel plan have actually included fresh difficulties for a market currently making every effort to validate its contribution to cutting business costs.
"Incidents of flight shaming including using personal jets are regrettable when you think about that our market has provided fuel performance improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel use will assist the industry make inroads with corporations and rich buyers. According to industry information, billionaires only have a 19% business jet ownership rate.
But even an image makeover - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for visiting planes - is not likely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.
Environmentalists and some experts remain doubtful that biojetfuels, usually blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable effect on public understandings about high-end travel.
"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make service jets look eco-friendly," said air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from organization jet operators for sustainable fuels now far goes beyond supply and their interest might 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 companies and experts are also seeing more interest from customers who wish to buy 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 company just recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.
"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, expense per hour, variety, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) chauffeur. But I think people are becoming more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it affects the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)
