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 industry show in Las Vegas high-end jets are enticing purchasers with their sleek silhouettes, plush cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.

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

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

Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to curb emissions could make service jets more attractive to ecologically mindful buyers - especially corporations facing concerns over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The schedule of less contaminating private jets might also spare the abundant and famous the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a current private jet journey to southern France.

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

The latest waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

Some of the other 79 airplane 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 represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions worldwide, however can emit, on average, as much as 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has safeguarded his periodic use of personal jets to guarantee his family's safety, and has actually said that on the unusual events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his schedule have actually included fresh challenges for an industry currently aiming to justify its contribution to cutting business expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming including the use of personal jets are unfortunate when you think about that our industry has actually delivered fuel effectiveness improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

Bombardier believes increased usage will assist the market make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. According to industry information, billionaires just have a 19% company jet ownership rate.

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

Environmentalists and some analysts stay hesitant that biojetfuels, typically blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant effect on public understandings about luxury travel.

"No amount of Jatropha or Brazil-nut fuel can make business 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, might broaden production up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and experts are also seeing more interest from customers who wish to purchase 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 research study his business recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.

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