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 show in Las Vegas high-end jets are luring buyers with their streamlined shapes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display novel kinds of air travel fuel considered less damaging to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the clearly less glamorous meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airline companies, have actually acquiesced environmental pressure on air travel and devoted to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

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

The schedule of less polluting private jets might likewise spare the abundant and popular the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a recent private jet trip to southern France.

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

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

"All of our product is inedible."

A few of the other 79 airplane on screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel blends expected to be pumped at the show.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions globally, but can release, typically, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter company Victor.

has defended his periodic use of private jets to guarantee his household's safety, and has stated that on the unusual events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

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

"Incidents of flight shaming including the usage of private jets are unfortunate 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 thinks increased sustainable fuel usage will help the market make inroads with corporations and wealthy purchasers. According to market data, billionaires only have a 19% organization jet ownership rate.

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for checking out airplanes - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some analysts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, generally combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant influence on public perceptions about high-end travel.

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

Demand from company jet operators for eco-friendly 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 broaden production up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter companies and specialists 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 usage study his business recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.

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