By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's biggest market program in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing buyers with their streamlined silhouettes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.
Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to showcase unique types of air travel fuel deemed less hazardous to the climate, from utilized cooking oil to the distinctly less attractive meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airline companies, have acquiesced environmental pressure on air travel and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.
Their hope is that adopting renewable fuel to curb emissions might make company jets more appealing to environmentally conscious buyers - specifically corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.
The accessibility of less contaminating personal jets might also spare the abundant and famous the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan over a recent private jet trip to southern France.
Five Gulfstream jets on display 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," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief industrial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.
"All of our product 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 account for less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions worldwide, however can release, typically, as much as 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter company Victor.
Prince Harry has actually safeguarded his occasional usage of personal jets to ensure his family's safety, and has actually stated that on the rare celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.
But planemakers say incidents such as the furore over his schedule have included fresh obstacles for a market already aiming to validate its contribution to cutting business costs.
"Incidents of flight shaming involving the use of personal jets are unfortunate when you consider that our industry has delivered 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 industry make inroads with corporations and wealthy buyers. According to industry data, billionaires only have a 19% company jet ownership rate.
But even an image transformation - with jets sporting stickers like "this aircraft flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for checking out aircrafts - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet occasion.
Environmentalists and some experts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, generally blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable effect on public perceptions 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 organization jet operators for eco-friendly 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 expand production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.
Corporate charter companies and experts are likewise seeing more interest from clients who desire to purchase carbon credits to balance out emissions from their .
Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a function in a corporate jet usage research study his business just recently completed for a Fortune 500 company.
"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, cost per hour, variety, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I think people are becoming more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it impacts 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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