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

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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 sleek shapes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to display unique kinds of aviation fuel considered less harmful to the climate, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have bowed to ecological pressure on air travel and dedicated to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

Their hope is that adopting sustainable fuel to curb emissions might make organization jets more appealing to ecologically mindful purchasers - especially corporations facing questions over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

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

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

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

"All of our product is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions internationally, but can discharge, typically, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has actually defended his periodic usage of personal jets to guarantee his household's security, and has stated that on the unusual events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say occurrences such as the furore over his schedule have actually added for a market currently aiming to justify its contribution to cutting business costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming including making use of personal jets are unfortunate when you consider that our market has actually delivered fuel efficiency improvements 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 industry data, billionaires only have a 19% organization jet ownership rate.

But even an image makeover - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on renewable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for checking out airplanes - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some experts remain doubtful that biojetfuels, usually blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial effect on public understandings about luxury travel.

"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly," said air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from service jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest might 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 also seeing more interest from consumers who desire to buy carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

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

"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, cost per hour, variety, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) motorist. But I believe individuals are ending up being more knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it affects the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)