By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant industry show in Las Vegas high-end jets are luring buyers with their smooth shapes, luxurious cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.
Fuel producers and jetmakers are eager to display novel forms of air travel fuel deemed less harmful to the climate, from used cooking oil to the distinctly less glamorous meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually bowed to environmental pressure on air travel and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.
Their hope is that embracing eco-friendly fuel to suppress emissions could make business jets more appealing to environmentally conscious buyers - specifically corporations facing concerns over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.
The accessibility of less polluting private jets could also spare the rich and popular the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a recent private jet trip to southern France.
Five Gulfstream jets on screen in Las Vegas are utilizing California-produced fuel from tallow.
The most recent waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food market," said Bryan Sherbacow, primary commercial 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 airplane on display screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel blends expected to be pumped at the show.
FLIGHT SHAMING
Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall yearly carbon emissions worldwide, but can give off, typically, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter company Victor.
Prince Harry has defended his periodic use 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 occurrences such as the furore over his schedule have included fresh challenges for an industry currently making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.
"Incidents of flight shaming including the use of private jets are unfortunate when you consider that our market has provided fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel use will assist the industry make inroads with corporations and rich buyers. According to industry information, billionaires only have a 19% business jet ownership rate.
But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for going to airplanes - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.
Environmentalists and some analysts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, normally mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable influence on public understandings about luxury travel.
"No quantity of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly," said aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from business 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, might expand production as much as 150 million gallons by 2022.
Corporate charter companies and specialists are also seeing more interest from customers who wish to buy carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.
Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions contributed in a corporate jet utilization study his business recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.
"At the end of the day, I think that rate, expense per hour, range, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) motorist. But I think individuals are ending up being more knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (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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