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 most significant market show in Las Vegas luxury jets are luring purchasers with their smooth shapes, luxurious cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to showcase novel types of air travel fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from used cooking oil to the definitely less attractive meat waste.

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

Their hope is that adopting renewable fuel to curb emissions could make company jets more attractive to environmentally mindful purchasers - particularly corporations facing concerns over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less polluting private jets might also spare the rich and well-known the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan over a current personal jet trip to southern France.

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

The newest waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary industrial 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 airplane on display screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel blends expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions globally, however can discharge, usually, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has actually protected his occasional use of private jets to ensure his household's safety, and has actually said that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his schedule have actually included fresh obstacles for a market currently striving to justify its contribution to cutting business costs.

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

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

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

Environmentalists and some analysts remain hesitant that biojetfuels, generally mixed 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 organization jets look eco-friendly," said air travel analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from business jet operators for renewable fuels now far 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 as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and specialists are likewise seeing more interest from customers who desire 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 business jet usage research study his business just recently completed for a Fortune 500 company.

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