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 luxury jets are drawing purchasers with their streamlined shapes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.


Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to showcase novel types of air travel fuel considered less damaging to the climate, from used cooking oil to the clearly less attractive meat waste.


Business jet operators, like airlines, have acquiesced ecological pressure on air travel and dedicated to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.


Their hope is that adopting renewable fuel to curb emissions could make company jets more attractive to ecologically conscious buyers - specifically corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green project groups.


The availability of less polluting private jets could also spare the abundant and well-known the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a current personal jet trip to southern France.


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


The latest waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food industry," said 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."


A few of the other 79 airplane on display screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel blends anticipated to be pumped at the program.


FLIGHT SHAMING


Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions globally, however can emit, 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 periodic use of personal jets to ensure his family's safety, and has actually said that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.


But state events such as the furore over his itinerary have actually added fresh difficulties for a market currently aiming to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.


"Incidents of flight shaming involving making use of private jets are regrettable when you think about that our industry has provided fuel effectiveness improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.


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


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


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


"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make organization jets look eco-friendly," said air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.


Demand from organization jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow said.


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


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


Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions contributed in a corporate jet usage study his business recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.


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