By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant industry program in Las Vegas high-end jets are drawing purchasers with their smooth silhouettes, plush cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.
Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are eager to display unique kinds of aviation fuel considered less damaging to the climate, from utilized cooking oil to the definitely less glamorous meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airline companies, have acquiesced environmental pressure on air travel and devoted to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.
Their hope is that adopting renewable fuel to suppress emissions could make business jets more attractive to environmentally conscious purchasers - especially corporations facing questions over sustainability from shareholders or green project groups.
The availability of less contaminating private jets could likewise spare the rich and popular the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan over a recent personal jet journey to southern France.
Five Gulfstream jets on display in Las Vegas are using California-produced fuel from inedible beef tallow.
The most recent waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food market," said 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."
Some of the other 79 airplane on display screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel mixes anticipated to be pumped at the program.
FLIGHT SHAMING
Private jets represent less than 0.1% of total annual carbon emissions worldwide, but can give off, usually, as much as 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 periodic use of personal jets to ensure his family's security, and has said that on the unusual occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.
But planemakers say incidents such as the furore over his schedule have added fresh obstacles for a market already striving to validate its contribution to cutting corporate costs.
"Incidents of flight shaming involving making use of private jets are unfortunate when you think about that our market has actually provided fuel effectiveness improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier believes increased sustainable fuel use will help the market make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. According to industry information, billionaires just have a 19% company jet ownership rate.
But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on eco-friendly fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for visiting airplanes - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.
Environmentalists and some experts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, normally blended 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant effect on public perceptions about travel.
"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make service jets look eco-friendly," stated air travel expert Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from business jet operators for renewable 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 approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.
Corporate charter companies and specialists 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 contributed in a business jet usage research study his business recently completed for a Fortune 500 business.
"At the end of the day, I believe that cost, cost per hour, variety, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) motorist. But I think people are ending up being more aware of 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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