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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 most significant industry show in Las Vegas luxury jets are luring buyers with their sleek shapes, luxurious cabins - and increasingly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are eager to showcase unique types of aviation fuel deemed less harmful to the environment, from used cooking oil to the clearly less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that embracing sustainable fuel to curb emissions could make company jets more attractive to ecologically conscious buyers - particularly questions over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.

The schedule of less polluting private jets could likewise spare the rich and famous the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a recent private 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 consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food market," stated 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."

Some of the other 79 airplane on screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions globally, but can release, on average, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter company Victor.

Prince Harry has safeguarded his occasional usage of private jets to ensure his family's safety, and has said that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his schedule have actually added fresh difficulties for an industry currently striving to validate its contribution to cutting business costs.

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

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

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting stickers like "this aircraft flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for visiting planes - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some experts remain skeptical that biojetfuels, usually mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial effect on public perceptions about high-end travel.

"No quantity of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make organization jets look eco-friendly," stated air travel analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from organization jet operators for sustainable 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, might expand production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and consultants 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, stated emissions contributed in a corporate jet utilization research study his business just recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.

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