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 industry program in Las Vegas luxury jets are tempting buyers with their streamlined shapes, plush cabins - and progressively, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display novel types of air travel fuel deemed less damaging to the climate, from used cooking oil to the distinctly less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have 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 might make company jets more appealing to environmentally mindful purchasers - especially corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The schedule of less polluting personal jets might also spare the abundant and famous the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan over a current private jet trip to southern France.

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

The newest waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary commercial 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 are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel mixes anticipated to be pumped at the show.

FLIGHT SHAMING

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

Prince Harry has defended his occasional usage of private jets to ensure his family's security, and has actually said that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his schedule have added fresh difficulties for a market already striving to validate its contribution to cutting corporate costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming including the usage of personal jets are regrettable when you consider that our market has actually delivered fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

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

Environmentalists and some analysts stay skeptical that biojetfuels, typically mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial effect on public perceptions about high-end travel.

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

Demand from business jet operators for sustainable fuels now far surpasses supply and their interest could production, Sherbacow stated.

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

Corporate charter business and specialists are also seeing more interest from customers who want to purchase 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 think that rate, expense per hour, range, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) chauffeur. But I believe individuals are becoming more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it affects the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)