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 show in Las Vegas luxury jets are enticing purchasers with their sleek shapes, luxurious cabins - and increasingly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display unique forms of air travel fuel deemed less harmful to the climate, from utilized cooking oil to the distinctly less glamorous meat waste.

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

Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions could make company jets more appealing to ecologically mindful buyers - particularly corporations facing questions over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.

The accessibility of less polluting personal jets might also spare the abundant and popular the negative promotion experienced by Harry and his other half 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 current waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food market," said Bryan Sherbacow, primary commercial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

A few of the other 79 aircraft on display are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel blends expected to be pumped at the show.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions internationally, however can release, typically, as much as 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.

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

But planemakers say events such as the furore over his travel plan have actually added fresh difficulties for a market already striving to validate its contribution to cutting business expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming including making use of private jets are unfortunate when you consider that our industry has actually provided fuel performance enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," said Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

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

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

"No quantity of Jatropha or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly," stated air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from service jet operators for sustainable fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest could drive future 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 consultants are also seeing more interest from customers who want to purchase 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 utilization research study his business just recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.

"At the end of the day, I believe that price, expense per hour, range, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) driver. But I think 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)