GitLab

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's biggest market show in Las Vegas high-end jets are tempting buyers with their streamlined shapes, plush cabins - and progressively, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel producers and jetmakers are eager to showcase unique forms of air travel fuel considered less harmful to the climate, from utilized cooking oil to the noticeably less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airlines, have 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 suppress emissions could make organization jets more appealing to ecologically conscious purchasers - specifically corporations dealing with questions over sustainability from investors or green project groups.

The accessibility of less polluting private jets could likewise spare the abundant and well-known the unfavorable promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a current private jet journey to southern France.

Five Gulfstream jets on screen in Las Vegas are using California-produced fuel from inedible beef tallow.

The current waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, chief commercial officer of Boston-based biofuel producer 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 screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel mixes expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total yearly carbon emissions globally, however can produce, on average, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per traveler mile than jetliners, according to the London-based private charter company Victor.

Prince Harry has safeguarded his occasional use of private jets to guarantee his family's security, and has stated that on the unusual events he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state events such as the furore over his travel plan have added fresh difficulties for an industry currently making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate expenses.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving the use of personal jets are regrettable when you consider that our market has provided fuel performance improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

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

Environmentalists and some analysts remain hesitant that biojetfuels, typically mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant influence on public understandings about high-end travel.

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

Demand from business jet operators for renewable fuels now far goes beyond supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow stated.

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

Corporate charter companies and consultants are also seeing more interest from consumers who wish to buy carbon credits to balance out from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a function in a corporate jet utilization research study his company recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.

"At the end of the day, I believe that price, expense per hour, variety, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) chauffeur. 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)