mission-biofuels-sdn.-bhd

By Allison Lampert

LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant market program in Las Vegas luxury jets are drawing buyers with their streamlined silhouettes, plush cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.

Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to display unique forms of aviation fuel considered less harmful to the environment, from used cooking oil to the definitely less attractive meat waste.

Business jet operators, like airline companies, have bowed to environmental pressure on aviation and devoted to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions might make company jets more to environmentally mindful buyers - especially corporations facing questions over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.

The schedule of less polluting personal jets could also spare the rich and well-known the negative promotion experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a current personal jet journey to southern France.

Five Gulfstream jets on display screen 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 by-products of the food market," said Bryan Sherbacow, primary commercial officer of Boston-based biofuel manufacturer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste used by Gulfstream.

"All of our product is inedible."

A few of the other 79 airplane on display screen are expected to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other renewable fuel blends expected to be pumped at the program.

FLIGHT SHAMING

Private jets account for less than 0.1% of total annual carbon emissions globally, but can emit, typically, 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 usage of personal jets to guarantee his household's safety, and has actually said that on the rare occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.

But planemakers state events such as the furore over his travel plan have actually added fresh difficulties for a market already making every effort to justify its contribution to cutting corporate costs.

"Incidents of flight shaming involving making use of personal jets are unfortunate when you think about that our industry has provided fuel efficiency improvements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.

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

But even an image makeover - with jets sporting stickers like "this airplane flies on renewable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for checking out planes - is not likely to satisfy all critics at the Oct 22-24 luxury jet occasion.

Environmentalists and some experts stay doubtful that biojetfuels, usually combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a considerable effect on public understandings about high-end 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 service jet operators for eco-friendly fuels now far exceeds supply and their interest might 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 business and consultants are likewise seeing more interest from customers who wish to purchase carbon credits to balance out emissions from their flights.

Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, stated emissions played a role in a business jet utilization study his business just recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.

"At the end of the day, I think that rate, cost per hour, variety, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) motorist. But I think people are ending up being more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)