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 industry show in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing purchasers with their streamlined shapes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to display unique kinds of aviation fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually bowed to ecological pressure on aviation and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that embracing eco-friendly fuel to suppress emissions could make company jets more appealing to buyers - especially corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The schedule of less polluting private jets might also spare the rich and well-known the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan over a recent private jet trip to southern France.

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

The most recent waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts 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 item is inedible."

Some of the other 79 airplane on display are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel blends anticipated to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions internationally, however can release, 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 actually defended his occasional usage of private jets to guarantee his household's safety, and has actually said that on the unusual events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say events such as the furore over his travel plan have actually included fresh obstacles for an industry already striving to validate its contribution to cutting business expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving using personal jets are regrettable when you think about that our market has actually provided fuel efficiency enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel use will help the industry make inroads with corporations and wealthy purchasers. According to industry data, billionaires only have a 19% service jet ownership rate.

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

Environmentalists and some analysts remain doubtful that biojetfuels, typically mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable effect on public perceptions about luxury travel.

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

Demand from business jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far goes beyond supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow said.

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

Corporate charter companies and specialists are also seeing more interest from clients who desire to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions contributed in a business jet utilization study his company recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.

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