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The briefing on ‘net‑zero’ airports
The news, views and numbers you need to know this month
The briefing on connected aviation
The news, views and numbers you need to know this month
At ACI Europe’s Annual Congress and General Assembly in June, major operators of aviation hubs across 24 European countries pledged that they would reduce CO2 emissions under their control to zero by 2050. The move is hoped to bring airports in line with the Paris Agreement, under which participating countries aim to limit global warming to well under 2°C.
The pledge will require increased investment in renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power. ACI Europe said that the promise was a necessary addition to other measures such as the International Civil Aviation Organization’s CORSIA scheme, under which airlines are currently required to report their CO2 output on an annual basis.
A number of countries outside of Europe are already trying to make their airports greener. India’s Cochin International Airport has already achieved its objective of becoming the first net-zero energy airport in the world through the use of solar power, and several US airports – notably San Francisco, Hartsfield-Jackson, and Denver - have ‘significantly reduced greenhouse emissions’, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
With the 2050 deadline still a long way off and many airports still planning aggressive expansion to meet passenger demand, it’s hard to predict whether many operators will be able to fulfil their promises. However, with a 2019 Eurocontrol report stating that aviation overall still accounts for 3% of global carbon emissions, the clamour over the industry’s contribution to climate change is unlikely to go away any time soon.
News in numbers
3
European airports have achieved carbon neutrality without using carbon offsets, making them net zero airports
60,000
Households could be powered by wind turbines supplying four Royal Schiphol-owned airports in the Netherlands
194
Airports have pledged to become net zero for carbon emissions under their control by 2050
43
European airports are currently ‘carbon-neutral’ – releasing no net greenhouse emissions
15,000
Solar panels were recently installed at Dubai International Airport every year
>100
Airports produce at least some of their energy from a renewable source, such as solar power
In quotes
Arnaud Feists, CEO of Brussels Airport Company:
We want to anchor the concept of sustainability firmly in our daily operations and in those of our partners. By investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, we can further reduce and, in the long term, neutralise emissions over which we have control. For emissions over which we have no control, we are working closely with the other airport companies and external partners to limit the total impact on the environment.
Tom Screen, aviation director at Birmingham Airport, speaking at this year’s Business Travel Association conference in the UK:
Sustainability is on everyone’s agenda. This growth I talked about, 18 to 23 million passengers, has to be done against a backdrop of sustainability now. We are committed to electric buses, we will be using 65 per cent recyclable goods by 2020, and we want to be carbon neutral by 2035 – that’s the carbon we can control at the airport.
Dr Michael Kerklohs, President of ACI Europe and CEO of Munich Airport:
Europe’s airports have already started delivering, and I am confident that many will reach net zero before 2050.
Top stories
The UK’s Bristol Airport has published a carbon roadmap setting out how it will achieve its ambition to be a net zero airport and accelerating efforts to achieve carbon neutrality. Two years ago, Bristol Airport set a target to be carbon neutral by 2030 for all emissions under its direct control (primarily from electricity, gas and ground vehicles). The roadmap brings this target forward to 2025 and will be achieved through measures such as increased use of electric vehicles and a shift to renewable energy sources.
Source: Passenger Terminal Today
Just six months after receiving the Level 3 ACA Certification, Hermes Airports has acquired the fourth and highest level of the ACA Certification for Larnaka and Pafos airports, which relates to the provision of compensation for carbon-dioxide emissions. The ACA (Airport Carbon Accreditation) is issued by the ACI and focuses on efforts to map, calculate, reduce and offset carbon-dioxide emissions across the globe. The ACA certification is comprised of four levels, which have so far been acquired by 274 airports in 71 countries, representing 44 per cent of global air passenger traffic.
Source: International Airport Review
The environment report of Brussels Airport focuses on the airport’s new integrated sustainability strategy, based on the 17 United Nations Sustainability Goals. With a series of concrete actions, Brussels Airport already wants to make a difference in the short notice. A longer-term sustainability ambition is to no longer emit any CO2 before 2050.
Source: Aviation24
Doncaster Sheffield Airport is to slash carbon emissions by installing a new £2m solar farm which will generate 25 per cent of the airport’s energy and drastically reduce its carbon footprint. The solar farm is due to be operational in 2020 and will provide 1.7 MWp of zero carbon energy, saving 220 tonnes of carbon every year – the equivalent of boiling 2.2 million kettles every year.
Source: The Yorkshire Post
20
February
2018
Emirates to introduce service between Auckland and Bali
Dubai-based airline Emirates is planning to launch a new daily service from Dubai to Auckland, New Zealand, through the island of Bali in Indonesia.
Starting from June 2018, the new service complements Emirates’ existing non-stop daily service between Dubai and Auckland and its daily A380 service between Dubai and Christchurch through Sydney. Emirates will offer a total of three daily services to New Zealand to global travellers.
The airline’s two existing daily services are currently operated by a Boeing 777 300-ER in a two-class configuration.
Emirates Airline president Sir Tim Clark said: “We are confident that our year-round service between Auckland and Bali will be well-received by our customers, not only in New Zealand and Indonesia, but also from our global network particularly from markets like the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.”
The new service is expected to provide better connections for London and other major European cities.
Welcoming Emirates’ announcement, Auckland Airport aeronautical commercial general manager Scott Tasker said that the new service will add more than 250,000 seats to the route.
Tasker added: “Bali continues to grow as a popular holiday destination for Kiwis, who can now fly there non-stop, year-round. Additionally, this new service provides an option for European travellers to stopover in Bali when flying to and from New Zealand.”
The new service is also set to provide 20t of cargo capacity between New Zealand, Bali and Dubai.
