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 streamlined silhouettes, plush cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.
Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to showcase unique kinds of aviation fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from used cooking oil to the distinctly less attractive meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airlines, have bowed to ecological pressure on aviation and dedicated to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.
Their hope is that embracing eco-friendly fuel to suppress emissions might make service jets more appealing to environmentally mindful buyers - especially corporations facing concerns over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.
The accessibility of less polluting personal jets could likewise spare the abundant and well-known the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a recent private jet trip to France.
Five Gulfstream jets on display screen in Las Vegas are using 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 market," stated Bryan Sherbacow, primary business officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.
"All of our item is inedible."
Some of the other 79 aircraft on 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 represent less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions worldwide, but can release, on average, 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 protected his periodic use of personal jets to ensure his family's safety, and has actually said that on the unusual celebrations he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.
But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his schedule have actually included fresh difficulties for an industry 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 industry has delivered fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel usage will help the market make inroads with corporations and wealthy purchasers. According to market data, billionaires just have a 19% company jet ownership rate.
But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on renewable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for checking out airplanes - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.
Environmentalists and some experts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, usually mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable influence on public perceptions about luxury travel.
"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make business jets look eco-friendly," said air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from service jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far goes beyond supply and their interest might drive future production, Sherbacow stated.
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 clients who desire to buy carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.
Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions contributed in a corporate jet usage research study his business recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.
"At the end of the day, I think that cost, expense per hour, variety, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) driver. But I believe individuals 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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