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 drawing buyers with their sleek silhouettes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to showcase unique types of aviation fuel considered less damaging to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the distinctly less glamorous meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have bowed to environmental pressure on air travel and devoted to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

Their hope is that embracing sustainable fuel to suppress emissions might make company jets more appealing to environmentally mindful purchasers - specifically corporations dealing with questions over from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less contaminating private jets could also spare the rich and well-known the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan over a recent personal jet journey to southern France.

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

The most recent waste-based fuels include "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 utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

A few of the other 79 airplane on display screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions internationally, however can give off, typically, as much as 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter company Victor.

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

But planemakers say events such as the furore over his itinerary have included fresh obstacles for a market already aiming to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.

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

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

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting stickers like "this aircraft flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for going to aircrafts - is not likely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

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

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

Demand from organization jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow stated.

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

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

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

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