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 greatest industry program in Las Vegas luxury jets are drawing purchasers with their smooth shapes, plush cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to showcase unique types of air travel fuel considered less harmful to the environment, from used cooking oil to the definitely less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that adopting sustainable fuel to curb emissions might make service jets more attractive to ecologically conscious purchasers - particularly corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The schedule of less jets could also spare the abundant and popular the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a current personal jet journey to southern France.

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

The most recent waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief business officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used 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 blends expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions internationally, but can release, usually, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.

Prince Harry has actually protected his periodic usage of personal jets to guarantee his family's security, and has stated that on the unusual events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his itinerary have added fresh challenges for an industry already striving to justify its contribution to cutting business expenses.

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

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

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

Environmentalists and some experts stay skeptical that biojetfuels, generally blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable impact on public perceptions about high-end travel.

"No quantity of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make organization jets look eco-friendly," stated aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from organization 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 expand production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter companies and consultants are also seeing more interest from customers who wish to buy carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions played a role in a corporate jet utilization research study his business recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.

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