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 biggest market program in Las Vegas high-end jets are tempting purchasers with their smooth shapes, luxurious cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to display novel types of aviation fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from used cooking oil to the clearly less attractive meat waste.

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

Their hope is that adopting renewable fuel to curb emissions could make business jets more attractive to ecologically mindful purchasers - especially corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.

The accessibility of less polluting private jets might likewise spare the abundant and well-known the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a recent private jet trip to southern France.

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

The most current waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions internationally, however can give off, on average, as much as 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter company Victor.

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

But planemakers state events such as the furore over his schedule have actually included fresh challenges for a market already striving to justify its contribution to cutting business costs.

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

Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel use will assist the market make inroads with corporations and wealthy purchasers. According to market information, billionaires just have a 19% business jet ownership rate.

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on renewable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for visiting airplanes - is not likely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.

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

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

Demand from service jet operators for renewable 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 broaden production up to 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and specialists are also seeing more interest from customers who wish to purchase carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a role in a business 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) motorist. But I think individuals are ending up being more knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)