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 market show in Las Vegas luxury jets are tempting purchasers with their streamlined shapes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display unique forms of aviation fuel considered less hazardous to the climate, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less attractive meat waste.

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

Their hope is that embracing eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions might make organization jets more appealing to ecologically conscious purchasers - specifically corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The accessibility of less contaminating personal jets could also spare the abundant and famous the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a recent personal jet journey to southern France.

Five Gulfstream jets on screen in Las Vegas are utilizing 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 producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.

"All of our item is inedible."

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

FLIGHT SHAMING

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

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

But planemakers say incidents such as the furore over his travel plan have actually added fresh obstacles for a market currently making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting business expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming including using personal jets are unfortunate when you think about that our industry has actually delivered fuel efficiency enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for checking out aircrafts - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some experts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, usually blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial effect on public understandings about luxury travel.

"No quantity of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make business jets look eco-friendly," stated aviation expert Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from business jet operators for eco-friendly 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, could broaden production approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.

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

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a role in a business jet utilization study his business recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.

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