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 most significant market program in Las Vegas luxury jets are luring buyers with their streamlined silhouettes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are eager to display novel forms of aviation fuel considered less harmful to the environment, from used cooking oil to the definitely less meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually 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 renewable fuel to suppress emissions could make organization jets more attractive to environmentally conscious buyers - particularly corporations facing concerns over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The availability of less polluting private jets could also spare the abundant and well-known the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a recent personal jet trip to southern France.

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

The current waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market," 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 screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the show.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions worldwide, but can discharge, 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 actually safeguarded his periodic usage of personal jets to ensure his family's security, and has stated that on the unusual events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his travel plan have added fresh obstacles for a market currently striving to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming including making use of private jets are regrettable when you think about that our market has delivered fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image makeover - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for going to airplanes - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some experts remain doubtful that biojetfuels, typically mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant influence on public understandings about high-end travel.

"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make service jets look eco-friendly," said air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.

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

World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, might expand production up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter companies and consultants are likewise seeing more interest from customers who want 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 just recently completed for a Fortune 500 company.

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