GitLab

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant industry program in Las Vegas luxury jets are tempting purchasers with their sleek shapes, plush cabins - and significantly, their usage of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to showcase novel forms of air travel fuel considered less hazardous to the environment, from used cooking oil to the distinctly less glamorous meat waste.

Business jet operators, like companies, have actually bowed to ecological pressure on air travel and dedicated to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.

Their hope is that adopting sustainable fuel to suppress emissions might make service jets more appealing to environmentally conscious buyers - especially corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The schedule of less polluting personal jets might likewise spare the rich and well-known the negative publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better 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 inedible beef tallow.

The latest waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, primary commercial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized 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 overall yearly carbon emissions globally, but can produce, usually, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter firm Victor.

Prince Harry has defended his occasional use of personal jets to guarantee his family's safety, and has stated that on the rare occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers say occurrences such as the furore over his schedule have added fresh difficulties for a market currently aiming to validate its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming including making use of personal jets are unfortunate when you consider that our industry has actually provided fuel performance enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel usage will assist the industry make inroads with corporations and wealthy buyers. According to market data, billionaires only have a 19% business jet ownership rate.

But even an image transformation - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this aircraft flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers adding alternative fuel pumps for going to aircrafts - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.

Environmentalists and some analysts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, typically mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable effect on public perceptions about high-end travel.

"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make business jets look eco-friendly," stated aviation expert Richard Aboulafia.

Demand from organization jet operators for sustainable fuels now far surpasses supply and their interest might drive future production, Sherbacow stated.

World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, could broaden production approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.

Corporate charter business and specialists are also seeing more interest from customers who desire 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 usage research study his company recently completed for a Fortune 500 company.

"At the end of the day, I believe that price, cost per hour, range, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. But I believe 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)