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 industry program in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing buyers with their streamlined silhouettes, luxurious cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to showcase unique kinds of air travel fuel considered less hazardous to the climate, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airline companies, 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 eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions might make service jets more appealing to environmentally mindful buyers - particularly corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The schedule of less contaminating personal jets could likewise spare the abundant and well-known the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his partner Meghan over a recent personal jet journey to southern France.

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

The latest waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief commercial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

Some of the other 79 airplane on display are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel blends expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions worldwide, however can produce, usually, approximately 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 stated that on the unusual celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say occurrences such as the furore over his travel plan have included fresh challenges for an industry currently striving to justify its contribution to cutting business expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving the use of private jets are unfortunate when you think about that our industry has provided fuel performance improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

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

Environmentalists and some experts stay skeptical that biojetfuels, typically mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable influence on public perceptions about luxury travel.

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

Demand from company jet for renewable fuels now far goes beyond 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 up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter companies and experts are also seeing more interest from clients who wish to buy carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.

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

"At the end of the day, I believe that rate, expense per hour, range, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) motorist. But I think individuals are ending up being more conscious of the sustainability of operations and how it affects the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)