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 industry program in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing purchasers with their sleek shapes, plush cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to showcase novel forms of air travel fuel considered less hazardous to the climate, from used cooking oil to the definitely less glamorous meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airline companies, have bowed to environmental pressure on air travel and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to suppress emissions could make business jets more appealing to environmentally mindful purchasers - specifically corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The availability of less polluting private jets might also spare the rich and famous the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan over a recent personal jet journey to southern France.

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

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

"All of our product is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions internationally, but can produce, usually, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has defended his periodic use of personal jets to ensure his family's safety, and has actually said that on the rare celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say incidents such as the furore over his itinerary have included fresh challenges for a market currently making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming including making use of personal jets are regrettable when you consider that our industry has actually delivered fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for going to planes - is not likely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some experts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, normally mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable effect on public perceptions about high-end travel.

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

Demand from company jet operators for sustainable fuels now far goes beyond supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow stated.

World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, might broaden production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter companies and experts are also seeing more interest from customers who wish 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 business jet usage research study his business just recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.

"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, cost per hour, range, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I think 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)