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 market program in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing purchasers with their smooth silhouettes, - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to display novel types of aviation fuel deemed less harmful to the environment, from used cooking oil to the definitely 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 adopting renewable fuel to curb emissions could make service jets more attractive to ecologically conscious buyers - specifically corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The schedule of less contaminating personal jets could likewise spare the rich and famous the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better 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 consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food market," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief business officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

Some of the other 79 aircraft on display are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions internationally, but can emit, typically, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has actually safeguarded his occasional use of private jets to guarantee his family's security, and has actually said that on the rare events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say events such as the furore over his itinerary have added fresh difficulties for a market currently striving to validate its contribution to cutting business costs.

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

Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel use will assist the market make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. According to market data, billionaires just have a 19% company jet ownership rate.

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

Environmentalists and some experts stay skeptical that biojetfuels, typically blended 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 organization jets look eco-friendly," said aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from organization jet operators for renewable fuels now far goes beyond 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 approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.

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

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions contributed in a corporate jet usage study his company recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.

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