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 biggest industry show in Las Vegas luxury jets are enticing buyers with their sleek silhouettes, luxurious cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are eager to display unique types of air travel fuel considered less damaging to the climate, from used cooking oil to the distinctly less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions might make company jets more appealing to environmentally mindful buyers - particularly corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The accessibility of less contaminating personal jets could likewise spare the abundant and famous the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a current personal jet trip to southern France.

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

The most current waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief business officer of Boston-based biofuel producer 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 eco-friendly fuel blends anticipated to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

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

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

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his schedule have added fresh obstacles for a market currently aiming to validate its contribution to cutting business expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming including using personal jets are unfortunate when you think about that our market has actually delivered fuel performance enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

Bombardier believes increased use will assist the industry make inroads with corporations and wealthy purchasers. According to industry data, billionaires only have a 19% company jet ownership rate.

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for checking out planes - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some experts remain hesitant that biojetfuels, generally combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial influence on public perceptions about luxury travel.

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

Demand from service jet operators for eco-friendly 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, could broaden production approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and specialists are likewise seeing more interest from customers who desire to buy carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.

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

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