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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 industry program in Las Vegas high-end jets are luring buyers with their streamlined shapes, plush cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.

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

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

Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to suppress emissions could make business jets more attractive to ecologically mindful buyers - specifically questions over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less polluting private jets could also spare the abundant and well-known the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan over a recent personal jet journey to southern France.

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

The current waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions internationally, but can discharge, usually, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.

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

But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his schedule have actually added fresh challenges for a market already making every effort to validate its contribution to cutting corporate costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming including using private jets are regrettable when you consider that our industry has provided fuel effectiveness enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for checking out planes - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some analysts stay skeptical that biojetfuels, normally mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable influence on public perceptions about luxury travel.

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

Demand from business jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far goes beyond supply and their interest might drive future production, Sherbacow said.

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 consultants are likewise seeing more interest from clients who wish to buy carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions played a function in a corporate jet utilization study his business recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.

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