mission-newenergy-ltd

1 Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest industry program in Las Vegas luxury jets are tempting purchasers with their smooth silhouettes, plush cabins - and progressively, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display unique forms of aviation fuel considered less damaging to the environment, from used cooking oil to the distinctly less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that embracing eco-friendly fuel to might make service jets more appealing to ecologically conscious buyers - particularly corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less contaminating private jets could also spare the abundant and well-known the unfavorable 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 screen in Las Vegas are utilizing California-produced fuel from inedible beef tallow.

The most recent waste-based fuels include "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 used by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions internationally, however can release, on average, as much as 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.

Prince Harry has actually protected his occasional usage of private jets to guarantee his household's safety, and has said that on the rare events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his travel plan have actually included fresh challenges for a market already striving to validate its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving making use of personal jets are regrettable when you consider that our industry has delivered fuel effectiveness improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

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

Environmentalists and some analysts remain hesitant that biojetfuels, typically combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial impact on public understandings about high-end travel.

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

Demand from company 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 up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and experts are also seeing more interest from customers who desire to buy carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a role in a corporate jet usage research study his business just recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.

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