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 market show in Las Vegas high-end jets are with their smooth shapes, luxurious cabins - and increasingly, their usage of alternative fuels.

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

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

Their hope is that adopting sustainable fuel to suppress emissions might make company jets more attractive to ecologically mindful purchasers - especially corporations dealing with questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The schedule of less polluting personal jets could also spare the abundant and popular the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a current personal 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 consist of "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel producer 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 screen are expected 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 overall annual carbon emissions globally, but can give off, typically, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has safeguarded his periodic use of personal jets to ensure his family's security, and has actually stated that on the rare occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his itinerary have added fresh obstacles for a market currently making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming including making use of personal jets are regrettable when you consider that our industry has actually delivered fuel performance improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image makeover - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for going to airplanes - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some experts remain skeptical that biojetfuels, normally blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant impact on public understandings about high-end travel.

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

Demand from service 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, could broaden production up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and experts are likewise seeing more interest from clients who want 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 business jet usage study his company just recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.

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