By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest industry show in Las Vegas luxury jets are enticing buyers with their sleek shapes, luxurious cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.
Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display novel kinds of aviation fuel considered less damaging to the climate, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airline companies, have acquiesced environmental pressure on aviation and dedicated to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.
Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions could make business 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 likewise spare the rich and well-known the experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his wife 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 consist of "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief business officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.
"All of our item is inedible."
A few of the other 79 aircraft on display screen are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other eco-friendly fuel blends expected to be pumped at the program.
FLIGHT SHAMING
Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions internationally, but can discharge, on average, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.
Prince Harry has actually safeguarded his occasional use of personal jets to guarantee his household's security, and has actually said that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.
But planemakers say incidents such as the furore over his travel plan have included fresh challenges for a market already striving to validate its contribution to cutting corporate costs.
"Incidents of flight shaming including the use of personal jets are regrettable when you think about that our industry has actually provided fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel use will help the industry make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. According to industry information, billionaires only have a 19% company jet ownership rate.
But even an image makeover - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on renewable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for going to airplanes - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.
Environmentalists and some experts remain doubtful that biojetfuels, normally combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a substantial effect on public perceptions about luxury travel.
"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly," said air travel analyst Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from company jet operators for sustainable 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, could expand production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.
Corporate charter business and specialists are also seeing more interest from clients who wish 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 role in a corporate jet utilization study his business recently finished 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) motorist. But I believe individuals are ending up being more knowledgeable about 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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