By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant market show in Las Vegas luxury jets are luring buyers with their smooth shapes, plush cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.
Fuel producers and jetmakers are keen to display novel types of aviation fuel deemed less hazardous to the climate, from used cooking oil to the clearly less attractive meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually acquiesced environmental pressure on air travel and committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005.
Their hope is that embracing renewable fuel to suppress emissions could make company jets more attractive to ecologically mindful purchasers - specifically corporations facing questions over sustainability from shareholders or green campaign groups.
The schedule of less polluting private jets could also spare the abundant and well-known the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his other half Meghan over a recent personal jet trip to southern France.
Five Gulfstream jets on display in Las Vegas are utilizing California-produced fuel from inedible beef tallow.
The most recent waste-based fuels consist of "fats, grease and oils that are by-products of the food industry," said Bryan Sherbacow, primary industrial 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 anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel mixes 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, approximately 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.
Prince Harry has protected his occasional usage of private jets to ensure his household's security, and has actually said that on the unusual occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.
But planemakers state occurrences such as the furore over his itinerary have added fresh obstacles for a market already aiming to validate its contribution to cutting business costs.
"Incidents of flight shaming involving making use of personal jets are regrettable when you consider that our industry has actually delivered fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the past 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel usage will assist the industry make inroads with corporations and rich purchasers. According to market information, billionaires just have a 19% business jet ownership rate.
But even an image remodeling - with jets sporting stickers like "this aircraft flies on sustainable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for visiting airplanes - is unlikely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet event.
Environmentalists and some experts remain hesitant that biojetfuels, generally mixed 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant effect on public perceptions about luxury travel.
"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly," stated aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from company jet operators for renewable fuels now far goes beyond supply and their interest could drive future production, Sherbacow said.
World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, might up to 150 million gallons by 2022.
Corporate charter business and experts are also seeing more interest from consumers who wish to purchase carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.
Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a role in a corporate jet usage study his business just recently finished for a Fortune 500 business.
"At the end of the day, I believe that price, expense per hour, range, speed and efficiency, that's still the (sales) driver. 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
Maribel McMaster edited this page 2025-01-12 06:54:18 +00:00