mission-newenergy-limited

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

By Allison Lampert

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

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to showcase novel forms of aviation fuel deemed less harmful to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions might make business jets more appealing to environmentally conscious buyers - especially corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The schedule of less polluting personal jets could also spare the rich and well-known the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his partner Meghan over a current personal jet trip to southern France.

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

The latest waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by .

"All of our product is inedible."

A few of the other 79 airplane on screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

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

Prince Harry has protected his periodic use of private jets to ensure his household's security, and has actually stated that on the uncommon celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say occurrences such as the furore over his itinerary have actually included fresh challenges for a market currently making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting business expenses.

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

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

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on renewable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for going to aircrafts - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some experts remain doubtful that biojetfuels, generally combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable influence on public understandings about high-end travel.

"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make business jets look eco-friendly," stated aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from business jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far goes beyond supply and their interest could 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 experts are likewise seeing more interest from consumers who want to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

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

"At the end of the day, I think that rate, cost per hour, variety, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I think people are becoming more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)