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 biggest industry program in Las Vegas luxury jets are drawing purchasers with their smooth shapes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to display unique types of aviation fuel considered less harmful to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the distinctly less attractive meat waste.

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

Their hope is that embracing eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions might make organization jets more appealing to ecologically conscious buyers - particularly corporations dealing with questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less contaminating private jets could also spare the rich and well-known the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his partner Meghan over a current personal jet trip to southern France.

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

The current waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief commercial 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 screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel mixes anticipated to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions internationally, but can give off, on average, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter .

Prince Harry has actually protected his occasional use of personal jets to ensure his family's safety, and has stated that on the unusual celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his schedule have included fresh obstacles for an industry already making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving the usage of personal jets are unfortunate when you consider that our market has actually delivered fuel effectiveness enhancements of 40% over the past 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

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

Environmentalists and some experts stay hesitant that biojetfuels, typically combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable influence on public understandings about high-end travel.

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

Demand from business jet operators for sustainable fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest might drive future production, Sherbacow said.

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

Corporate charter companies and consultants are likewise 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 contributed in a corporate jet usage research study his company just recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.

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