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 high-end jets are tempting buyers with their streamlined silhouettes, luxurious cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to display unique forms of aviation fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the distinctly less glamorous meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airline companies, have bowed to ecological pressure on air travel and dedicated to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that adopting renewable fuel to suppress emissions might make business jets more attractive to ecologically conscious purchasers - especially corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The availability of less contaminating personal jets could also spare the rich and well-known the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan over a current 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 current waste-based fuels consist of "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 used by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

A few of the other 79 aircraft on screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel blends expected to be pumped at the show.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions worldwide, however can release, usually, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.

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

But planemakers state events such as the furore over his schedule have actually added fresh obstacles for an industry currently aiming to justify its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving making use of private jets are regrettable when you consider that our market has provided fuel effectiveness improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting stickers like "this aircraft flies on renewable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for visiting aircrafts - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.

Environmentalists and some analysts stay hesitant that biojetfuels, normally combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable effect on public understandings about high-end travel.

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

Demand from service jet operators for sustainable fuels now far surpasses supply and their interest might drive future production, Sherbacow stated.

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

Corporate charter business and consultants are likewise seeing more interest from who wish to buy carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions contributed in a corporate jet usage study his business 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) motorist. But I think individuals are becoming more mindful of the sustainability of operations and how it affects the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)