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 industry show in Las Vegas luxury jets are luring purchasers with their sleek shapes, plush cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display unique forms of aviation fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually bowed to environmental pressure on air travel and dedicated to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to curb emissions could make service jets more attractive to ecologically mindful buyers - especially corporations facing concerns over sustainability from or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less polluting private jets could likewise spare the rich and popular the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan over a recent private jet journey to southern France.

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

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

"All of our item is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total annual carbon emissions worldwide, but can release, on average, as much as 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.

Prince Harry has defended his periodic use of personal jets to ensure his household's security, and has actually said that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say incidents such as the furore over his travel plan have actually added fresh obstacles for an industry currently striving to validate its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

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

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

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers including 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 remain doubtful that biojetfuels, typically combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant effect on public perceptions about luxury travel.

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

Demand from business jet operators for renewable 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, might expand production up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and consultants are also seeing more interest from customers who want to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

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

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