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

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest market show in Las Vegas high-end jets are luring purchasers with their smooth shapes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to display novel forms of aviation fuel deemed less harmful to the climate, from used cooking oil to the distinctly less glamorous meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airline companies, have actually bowed to environmental pressure on aviation and dedicated to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

Their hope is that adopting sustainable fuel to curb emissions could make service jets more appealing to environmentally conscious purchasers - specifically corporations dealing with questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The schedule of less contaminating private jets might likewise spare the abundant and famous the negative publicity 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 latest waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total annual carbon emissions globally, however can release, usually, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has actually protected his periodic usage of private jets to ensure his household's safety, and has said that on the unusual celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state events such as the furore over his travel plan have actually included fresh difficulties for a market already making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting business expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming including using personal jets are unfortunate when you think about that our market has actually delivered fuel effectiveness improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image makeover - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for visiting airplanes - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some experts remain skeptical that biojetfuels, generally mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant influence on public perceptions about luxury travel.

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

Demand from company jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far surpasses 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 companies and consultants are also seeing more interest from clients who wish to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions played a role in a business jet utilization research study his company just recently completed for a Fortune 500 company.

"At the end of the day, I believe that rate, expense per hour, variety, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) chauffeur. But I believe people are ending up being more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)