Animal fat use in green jet fuel soaring and could be worse than kerosene, study warns
The fat from dead pigs and cows is increasingly being used to power planes and cars as a greener alternative, which could end up being even worse for the environment than traditional jet fuel, new research has warned.
The use of animal fat in biodiesel has increased by forty times since 2006, and demand is set to triple by 2030 compared to 2021, according to the study by green campaigners Transport and Environment (T&E).
But there is not enough waste animal fat to scale it up sustainably.
All the animal fat that already exists – usually coming from unwanted animal body parts in abattoirs – is already used in things like candles, cosmetics and pet food.
A transatlantic flight between Paris and New York would need the fat from 8,800 dead pigs each way, according to T&E calculations.
However, animal fats are just one component of sustainable fuel, along with things like vegetable fats and waste crops – and sustainable fuel is still dwarfed by kerosene.
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Tom Heap looks at what the aviation industry is doing to become more climate-friendly
But the figure “illustrates the size of the problem,” Matt Finch from T&E told Sky News. “There are hundreds of transatlantic flights every day. Animal fats will be sucked into aviation, that’s an absolute given.
“But dead animals don’t grow on trees, so if aviation suddenly wants to use a lot of animal fats in its fuels, it can’t be used by other sectors.”
Those sectors would likely turn to palm oil instead, which is cheap and has similar properties.
But all the palm oil produced is already used too, so increased demand would likely require slashing more tropical rainforest to create more plantations.
“This is the worst environmental outcome possible,” said Mr Finch.
If virgin palm oil were to substitute animal fats, CO2 emissions of animal fats biofuels could be up to 1.7 times worse than conventional diesel, the research says.
The shift in uses can “therefore significantly undermine the climate benefits of using animal fats biofuels”, it warns.
The EU is bringing in a sustainable aviation fuel mandate that would allow potentially unlimited amount of animal fats in sustainable fuels.
The UK is still consulting on plans, but is likely to cap animal fats at a maximum of 2%, or ban them altogether.
That’s “good news,” for the impact on palm oil, said Mr Finch. But he beleives the UK mandate risks relying too much on waste products, which are always only ever available in limited volumes.
According to Mr Finch, the most environmentally friendly alternative, is to replace jet fuel with a blend of “green” hydrogen – made from clean electricity – with carbon captured at source from things like factories. But this is expensive and supply is limited at the moment.
A spokesperson from Sustainable Aviation, the UK aviation industry sustainability coalition, called sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) a “here and now solution to decarbonising UK flights.
“They are made from a wide variety of feedstocks that must meet strict sustainability criteria, do not compete with food production and are rigorously certified.
“Future UK SAF production will be largely based on feedstocks like black-bag waste or waste gases.
“The UK has enough feedstock for SAF use to help aviation achieve net zero by 2050, alongside synthetic SAFs made from captured carbon and green hydrogen that we expect to see next decade.”
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‘We’ll play some more soon’: Emails believed to be from Prince Andrew to Epstein after he claimed to cut contact revealed
The Duke of York told Jeffrey Epstein they would “play some more soon!” two months after he claimed he cut contact with the convicted paedophile.
The emails were disclosed in a filing by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are defending an appeal by former Barclays boss, Jes Staley.
Staley is challenging a decision to ban him from the industry for misleading regulators on his ties to Epstein, one of the most severe measures the FCA can impose.
The court documents show an exchange of messages between Epstein and “a member of the British Royal Family” – believed to be Prince Andrew. It suggests the duke and Epstein – who killed himself in jail in 2019 – were in contact for longer than he has previously admitted.
Ex-Barclays boss Jes Staley. Pic: PA
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. After his release, Epstein and the duke were photographed walking together in New York’s Central Park, in December 2010.
The prince has claimed this was the last contact he had with Epstein.
In a 2019 interview with Newsnight, Andrew said he visited Epstein in person to tell him they could no longer be friends, believing it was the “honourable” thing to do.
Yet emails between the pair, which were handed to a court in London, show they kept exchanging messages until at least 27 February 2011.
On this date, Andrew emailed Epstein: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”
The disgraced duke has come under fire for his relationship with the paedophile financier. In 2022, he settled a multi-million pound claim with Virginia Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with the royal.
Andrew stepped down from royal duties and public life and had claimed he never met Ms Giuffre. He agreed to settle the claim without admitting liability.
He has previously strenuously denied all allegations against him.
Newsnight interview ‘ill-advised’ – aide
Other court documents released on Friday revealed one of the prince’s senior aides admitted in a letter to an alleged Chinese spy that the duke’s Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis was “hugely ill-advised and unsuccessful”.
Prince Andrew and alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo
Dominic Hampshire wrote to Yang Tengbo on Buckingham Palace notepaper in March 2020.
In the letter, he said they “have dealt with the aftermath of a hugely ill-advised and unsuccessful television interview”.
Mr Hampshire praised Mr Yang, writing that “in what originally seemed like a lost cause, you have somehow managed to not only salvage but maintain and then incredibly, enhance the reputation of my principal [Prince Andrew] in China.
“Under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor; we orchestrated a very powerful verbal message of support to China at a Chinese New Year’s dinner and between the three of us, we have written, amended and then always agreed a number of letters at the highest level possible.”
Mr Yang said in a statement on Friday the spying allegations against him are “entirely unfounded”.
Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell, pictured in a photo believed to have been taken in 2001. Pic: Rex/Shutterstock
The Jes Staley emails
Emails showed Epstein inviting Andrew to meet Staley on 27 February, saying: “jes staley will be in London on next tue afternoon, if you have time [sic].”
Andrew replied: “Jes is coming on 1st March or next week?”
The pair then engaged in a discussion about press articles, before the duke told Epstein they would “play some more soon”.
Sky News has contacted Prince Andrew for a comment.
The body of a woman has been recovered from the River Dee close to where two missing sisters disappeared in Aberdeen.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both aged 32, were last spotted on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday 7 January.
The women were seen crossing the bridge and turning right on to a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.
On Friday, it was confirmed a woman’s body had been recovered from the water east of the club.
Although the body is yet to be formally identified, Police Scotland said the family of Henrietta had been informed.
The force added there were “no apparent suspicious circumstances”, with searches ongoing for Eliza.
The Police Scotland dive and marine unit, along with other specialist officers, are carrying out further searches of the river and the riverbanks between Queen Elizabeth Bridge and Victoria Bridge.
A police dive boat pictured on the River Dee at Aberdeen Harbour earlier this month. Pic: PA
Pic: PA
Superintendent David Howieson said: “Our thoughts are with the Huszti family today. We are keeping them fully updated following this recovery and the further search activity which is ongoing.
“Our priority remains finding both of the sisters and search has focused on the River Dee and will do so in the coming days.
“We are carrying out further searches of the river in the area where the body was recovered this morning.
“The river in this area is tidal and conditions are challenging but we will continue to search and make every effort to locate both of the sisters.
“We have sought guidance from a number of experts and this will continue to inform our search activity.”
Investigating officers previously said there had been “no evidence” of the women leaving the immediate area and there had been nothing to suggest “suspicious circumstances or criminality”.
The police revealed that the sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – visited the bridge where they were last seen about 12 hours before they disappeared.
They also sent a text message to their landlady on the morning they vanished, indicating they would not be returning to the flat.
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Superintendent Howieson added: “We know how much of an impact this has had in Aberdeen and much further afield.
“We have had a positive response from the public to our appeals and I would like to thank everyone who has already come forward to date.
“I would again urge anyone with any information which could help our investigation to get in touch.”
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
In a statement released via Police Scotland earlier this month, the family said: “This has been a very worrying and upsetting time for our family.
“We are really worried about Eliza and Henrietta and all we want is for them to be found.”
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