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 high-end jets are tempting purchasers with their streamlined silhouettes, plush cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to display novel types of aviation fuel deemed less damaging to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the noticeably less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have bowed to ecological pressure on aviation and devoted to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

Their hope is that adopting sustainable fuel to suppress emissions could make organization jets more appealing to ecologically conscious buyers - specifically corporations with questions over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.

The accessibility of less polluting private jets could also spare the abundant and popular the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a current private jet journey to southern France.

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

The most current waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief business officer of Boston-based biofuel producer 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 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 internationally, however can release, usually, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has protected his periodic usage of private jets to ensure his household's safety, and has actually stated that on the unusual occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

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

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

Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel use will assist the market make inroads with corporations and rich buyers. According to industry information, billionaires just have a 19% business jet ownership rate.

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on renewable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for visiting airplanes - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.

Environmentalists and some analysts remain skeptical that biojetfuels, normally blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial effect on public perceptions about luxury travel.

"No amount of Jatropha or Brazil-nut fuel can make service jets look eco-friendly," stated aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from business jet operators for renewable fuels now far surpasses supply and their interest might drive future production, Sherbacow stated.

World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, could expand production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and experts are also seeing more interest from clients 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 business jet usage research study his company just recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.

"At the end of the day, I believe that price, cost per hour, variety, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I believe individuals are becoming more mindful of the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)