By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's greatest market show in Las Vegas luxury jets are enticing buyers with their smooth silhouettes, luxurious cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.
Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display novel forms 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 actually bowed to environmental pressure on air travel and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.
Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to curb emissions might make organization jets more attractive to ecologically mindful buyers - specifically corporations facing concerns over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.
The availability of less polluting personal jets might also spare the abundant and famous the negative promotion 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 current waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief business officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.
"All of our item is inedible."
Some of the other 79 aircraft on display screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel blends expected to be pumped at the program.
FLIGHT SHAMING
Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total annual carbon emissions worldwide, but can release, on average, as much as 20 times more carbon emissions per passenger mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.
Prince Harry has safeguarded his periodic usage of private jets to ensure his household's security, and has actually stated that on the unusual events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.
But planemakers say incidents such as the furore over his travel plan have actually added fresh challenges for a market currently aiming to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.
"Incidents of flight shaming involving the use of private jets are regrettable when you think about that our industry has provided fuel performance improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel use will help the industry make inroads with corporations and wealthy purchasers. According to market data, billionaires only have a 19% organization jet ownership rate.
But even an image transformation - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for visiting planes - is not likely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.
Environmentalists and some experts stay hesitant that biojetfuels, usually blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant effect on public perceptions about luxury travel.
"No quantity of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make service jets look eco-friendly," stated air travel analyst Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from business jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow said.
World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, could broaden production up to 150 million gallons by 2022.
Corporate charter business and experts are also seeing more interest from consumers who desire to buy carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.
Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions played a function in a corporate jet utilization study his business just recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.
"At the end of the day, I believe that price, cost per hour, range, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) driver. But I believe individuals are ending up being more knowledgeable about the sustainability of operations and how it affects the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)
