By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant market program in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing buyers with their sleek shapes, plush cabins - and increasingly, their use of alternative fuels.
Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to display novel forms of air travel fuel considered less damaging to the environment, from used cooking oil to the definitely less attractive meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually bowed to ecological pressure on air travel and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.
Their hope is that embracing sustainable fuel to curb emissions could make service jets more appealing to environmentally mindful buyers - specifically corporations dealing with questions over sustainability from investors or green project groups.
The accessibility of less contaminating private jets might also spare the rich and popular the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan over a current private jet journey to southern France.
Five Gulfstream jets on display in Las Vegas are utilizing California-produced fuel from inedible beef tallow.
The most recent waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief industrial 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 mixes expected to be pumped at the program.
FLIGHT SHAMING
Private jets represent less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions globally, however can discharge, typically, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.
Prince Harry has actually safeguarded his occasional usage of personal jets to ensure his household's security, and has actually stated that on the uncommon occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.
But planemakers state incidents such as the furore over his travel plan have included fresh challenges for a market already aiming to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.
"Incidents of flight shaming including the usage of personal jets are regrettable when you consider that our market has delivered fuel performance enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel use will help the industry make inroads with corporations and wealthy purchasers. According to market information, billionaires just have a 19% company jet ownership rate.
But even an image transformation - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for going to planes - is not likely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.
Environmentalists and some analysts remain skeptical that biojetfuels, normally combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant influence on public perceptions about high-end travel.
"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make service jets look eco-friendly," stated aviation expert Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from business jet operators for renewable fuels now far surpasses supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow stated.
World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, might broaden production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.
Corporate charter companies and consultants are likewise seeing more interest from clients who wish to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.
Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions contributed in a business jet utilization research study his business recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.
"At the end of the day, I think that cost, cost per hour, range, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I think people are ending up being more knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the planet." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)
