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 market program in Las Vegas luxury jets are tempting purchasers with their sleek shapes, luxurious cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.

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

Business jet operators, like airlines, have acquiesced environmental pressure on air travel and dedicated to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that embracing sustainable fuel to suppress emissions could make company jets more appealing to ecologically conscious buyers - particularly corporations dealing with questions over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less polluting private jets could likewise spare the rich and well-known the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan over a recent private jet trip to southern France.

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

The most recent waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary 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 aircraft on screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel blends anticipated to be pumped at the show.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions worldwide, but can produce, 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 protected his occasional use of private jets to ensure his household's safety, and has said that on the unusual celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his travel plan have actually added fresh difficulties for an industry already making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming including using personal jets are unfortunate when you consider that our industry has actually provided fuel performance improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for visiting airplanes - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some analysts remain doubtful that biojetfuels, usually blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant effect on public perceptions about high-end travel.

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

Demand from service jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far goes beyond supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow stated.

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

Corporate charter business and specialists are likewise seeing more interest from consumers who desire to buy 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 usage study his business just recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.

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