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1 Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's biggest industry show in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing purchasers with their sleek silhouettes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to showcase novel kinds of air travel fuel deemed less damaging to the environment, from utilized cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airline companies, have actually acquiesced environmental pressure on aviation and devoted to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to suppress emissions could make company jets more appealing to ecologically conscious purchasers - especially corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.

The accessibility of less polluting personal jets might also spare the rich and popular the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a current private jet trip to southern France.

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

The newest 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 manufacturer 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 anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel blends anticipated to be pumped at the show.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions worldwide, however can give off, typically, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has actually protected his occasional use of private jets to ensure his family's safety, and has actually said that on the uncommon celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his travel plan have included fresh difficulties for an industry already making every effort 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 delivered fuel effectiveness improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on renewable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for visiting aircrafts - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.

Environmentalists and some analysts remain doubtful that biojetfuels, typically mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable influence on public perceptions about high-end travel.

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

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

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

Corporate charter companies and consultants are likewise seeing more interest from consumers who desire to purchase 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 corporate jet utilization research study his business recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.

"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, expense per hour, range, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) driver. But I believe people are ending up being more conscious of the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)