By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest show in Las Vegas high-end jets are luring purchasers with their streamlined shapes, luxurious cabins - and progressively, their usage 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 attractive meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airline companies, have bowed to environmental pressure on air travel and dedicated to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.
Their hope is that embracing eco-friendly fuel to suppress emissions could make business jets more attractive to environmentally conscious buyers - particularly corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.
The availability of less contaminating private jets might likewise spare the rich and well-known the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a recent private jet journey to southern France.
Five Gulfstream jets on display in Las Vegas are using California-produced fuel from inedible beef tallow.
The newest waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief commercial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.
"All of our item is inedible."
Some of the other 79 airplane on display screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel mixes anticipated to be pumped at the show.
FLIGHT SHAMING
Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions globally, but can produce, on average, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.
Prince Harry has actually safeguarded his occasional usage of private jets to ensure his household's security, and has stated that on the unusual 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 validate its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.
"Incidents of flight shaming involving using private jets are unfortunate when you consider that our market has actually provided fuel performance enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel usage will assist the market make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. 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 remain hesitant that biojetfuels, normally mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable influence on public perceptions about luxury travel.
"No quantity of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make business jets look eco-friendly," stated aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from company jet operators for renewable 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 expand production approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.
Corporate charter companies and specialists are also seeing more interest from clients who desire to buy carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.
Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions played a function in a corporate jet usage research study his business recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.
"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, cost per hour, range, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I believe individuals are becoming more aware of the sustainability of operations and how it affects the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)
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Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show
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