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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 biggest market program in Las Vegas high-end jets are enticing buyers with their sleek silhouettes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display novel types of air travel fuel considered less damaging to the climate, from utilized cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to curb emissions might make organization jets more appealing to environmentally mindful buyers - specifically corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The availability of less contaminating personal jets might also spare the rich and well-known the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan over a recent personal jet trip to southern France.

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

The newest waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief 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 display are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions internationally, however can produce, usually, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has defended his periodic usage of private jets to ensure his household's safety, and has actually stated that on the uncommon events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say events such as the furore over his schedule have actually included fresh obstacles for a market currently making every effort to validate its contribution to cutting business costs.

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

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

But even an image makeover - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for going to planes - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet occasion.

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

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

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

World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, could expand production approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and experts are also seeing more interest from who desire to purchase carbon credits to balance out 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 finished for a Fortune 500 company.

"At the end of the day, I think that cost, expense per hour, range, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I think people are ending up being more knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)