Going green

We shine the spotlight on the latest airports to reach Level 5 in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme and a host of pioneering sustainability initiatives across the globe.

Airport Carbon Accreditation excellence

Stockholm Arlanda and Ronneby airports in Sweden and Bengaluru-Kempegowda and Delhi-Indira Gandhi in India have become the latest gateways to achieve the highest Level 5 status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.

Swedish airport operator, Swedavia, notes that Arlanda and Ronneby’s success now means that four of  ts ten airports hold the highest level of climate certification, following Göteborg Landvetter Airport and Malmö Airport which achieved the accolade in December 2023.

Swedavia’s remaining six airports are striving to reach the top certification level by 2026.

President and CEO, Jonas Abrahamsson, has no doubt that the latest Airport Carbon Accreditation recognitions strengthen Swedavia’s position as a global decarbonisation leader.

He enthuses: “This shows that we continue to lead the way and have chosen to invest in aviation’s necessary climate transition for sustainable air travel. This certification is the result of our long-term efforts, where we have taken a holistic approach to the entire ecosystem of the airports and also involved our partners in the transition.”

Swedavia became fossil-free in its own airport operations at all ten airports as early as 2020, making it the first airport operator in the world to achieve this. By 2025, all ground operations at Swedavia’s airports that are carried out by other operators will also be made fossil-free through the partnership plan that has been developed, which involves all operators at the airports signing an agreement with Swedavia stipulating a focus on phasing out fossil fuels from their operations.

The long-term goal is for domestic flights to be fossil-free by 2030 and for international flights to be fossil-free by 2045, in line with the Swedish aviation industry’s joint roadmap within the framework of Fossil-Free Sweden.

By achieving and maintaining a net zero balance for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and also tackling Scope 3 emissions through strong third-party engagement, Stockholm Arlanda and Ronneby airports are now among the 18 pioneers worldwide to reach this level of carbon management.

The elite list includes two of India’s busiest airports, Bengaluru-Kempegowda and Delhi-Indira Gandhi, which achieved Level 5 status in the programme in late August.

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) has adopted a science-based approach to reducing carbon emissions across its operations.

The airport is committed to achieving 100% renewable electricity consumption, implementing afforestation initiatives, and promoting the adoption of electric vehicles.

Its robust renewable electricity infrastructure includes onsite solar power generation through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model and an offsite PPA arrangement for solar and wind power.

As a result of its efforts, in 2023, Kempegowda achieved a remarkable 95.6% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Looking ahead, the airport is committed to achieving net zero emissions for Scope 3 by 2050, demonstrating its long-term dedication to sustainability.

“We are delighted to be one of the first airports in Asia to attain ACI’s Level 5 accreditation and to lead the way with the highest emission elimination by an Indian airport,” said Hari Marar, managing director and CEO of Kempegowda operator, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL).

“Achieving Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions seven years ahead of our target is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the sustainable development of the airport. This accomplishment not only sets a new benchmark for us but also reinforces our dedication to creating a greener future for all.”

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) has also implemented a series of strategic initiatives to reach net zero for the emissions under its direct control.

Key measures include transitioning to renewable energy, promoting the use of electric vehicles within airport operations, and upgrading infrastructure to support environmentally friendly practices.

The airport has installed a 7.84 MW solar power plant within its airside area, significantly reducing its reliance on conventional energy sources.

Additionally, the airport has expanded its fleet of electric vehicles and taxibots, further decreasing emissions and fuel consumption in line with its ambitious target to achieve net zero Scope 3 emissions by 2050.

Christchurch Airport in New Zealand is the only other gateway in the ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East region to achieve the memorable Airport Carbon Accrediation milestone.

Hydroheated vegetable oil

In a move that will reduce its annual carbon vehicle emissions by up to 90% compared with standard diesel, Belfast City Airport has introduced Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel across 100% of its fleet of airside vehicles and equipment.

This significant shift to lower carbon fuel marks a major step forward in the airport’s ongoing sustainability initiatives, which includes the recent upgrade of its main apron lighting to energy-efficient LED systems.

Ian Nuttall, the airport’s environment and sustainability manager, said: “As a responsible business leader, Belfast City Airport is committed to sustainable operations and strives to do all it can to positively impact the environment, the local community, and the economy in which it operates.

“By investing in HVO fuel and LED lighting for our main apron, we are demonstrating our dedication to environmental stewardship and making strides in our pursuit of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with ambition to achieve this sooner.

“We are committed to paving the way for an industry that not only connects people with places but also safeguards our environment.”

Belfast City Airport has reduced the carbon emissions from its operations by approximately 57% since 2017, achieving Platinum status in Business in the Community’s Environmental Benchmarking Survey for the fourth consecutive year in 2023.

Michael McDowell, the airport’s airfield operations manager, noted: “Our team is dedicated to integrating greener innovations into everyday practices, ensuring a seamless blend of operational excellence and sustainability.”

Image courtesy of JFKIAT/Bjorg Magnea.

JFK Terminal 4’s certified Renewable Energy Certificates JFKIAT – the operator of Terminal 4 at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport – has announced its investment in Green-e® certified Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to support the aviation industry’s transition to green electricity and its continued efforts to combat climate change.

It believes that its investment in RECs – Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) validated market based instruments that represent the ownership of generated renewable energy – is a critical step forward in supporting and advancing the development of renewable energy production in the US.

This action is part of JFKIAT’s immediate carbon reduction strategy and commitment to reaching net zero carbon by 2050. As a result, the facility’s overall carbon footprint has been reduced by 16% when compared to its baseline.

“At T4, sustainability informs every aspect of our innovative operations, and we’re on a mission to continue investing in responsible, ethical, and environmentally conscious programmes,” says JFKIAT CEO, Roel Huinink.

“By helping to track production within electricity power grids, RECs are an important tool in expanding the renewable energy market. Through this investment, we are able to reduce our Scope 2 electricity emissions to net zero while supporting the generation of renewable energy in the US. Not only does this programme encourage the ongoing transition to cleaner energy sources and make renewable energy projects more economically viable, but it also creates a healthy environment at T4 and prepares our facility for a resilient future.”

Making fire fighting foam more environmentally friendly Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is nearing completion of a pioneering project to remove firefighting foam containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from its entire fleet of Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Van Nuys Airport (VNY).

This initiative will make LAWA among the first airport operators in California to transition to fluorine-free foam (F3) and positions it as a leader in environmental stewardship and firefighter safety.

The project, which covers 14 ARFF trucks across both airports, represents one of the largest such transitions undertaken in the United States. LAWA is not only meeting but exceeding the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) best practice recommendations and is on track to complete this crucial environmental and safety upgrade, aligning with new federal and state regulatory standards.

“This transition underscores our unwavering commitment to the safety of our operations and emergency response community, as well as our dedication to environmental stewardship,” enthused LAWA, CEO John Ackerman.

“By taking this proactive step and collaborating with a deep bench of subject matter experts, from the remediation team to the Los Angeles Fire Department, we’re setting a new standard for airports in California and across the nation.”

The removal process utilises advanced cleaning technology to reduce PFAS levels in the ARFF trucks by over 99%, significantly minimising potential exposure to these harmful chemicals for both firefighters and the environment.

Green loan part of Newcastle Airport’s sustainability focused future

Newcastle Airport in Australia has joined forces with CommBank to fund a raft of pioneering sustainability programmes via an innovative A$235 million Green Sustainability-Linked Loan (GSLL).

The GSLL converts existing loan funding to one linked to specific sustainability actions and outcomes. Airport CEO, Dr Peter Cock, said with the support of the GSLL, Newcastle Airport is proud to be part of the Hunter Region’s transition to low carbon energy.

“As we strive to be the green gateway to the Hunter, we are committed to supporting and demonstrating  the region’s shift towards a sustainable future,” he commented.

“Our new terminal, which has achieved 5 Star Green Star standard in design, reflects our dedication to environmental responsibility and our role in this important transition.

“We have already achieved net zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions well ahead of our 2030 goal. It’s ambitious programmes like this that are really setting the standard for how we approach sustainability.

“Our terminal expansion build has also been Designed Assessed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and is on track to receive a 5 Star Green Star Buildings rating – the first airport terminal in Australia to achieve this under the new rating tool.”

CommBank’s GSLL is broadly tied to Newcastle Airport’s efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions, achieving a high ACA level and minimising waste sent to landfill across the entire airport precinct, with interest rates linked to ambitious progress against these goals.

In the past year, Newcastle Airport has made significant progress towards becoming one of the most sustainable airports in Australia, including partnering with Australian renewable energy retailer to allow energy requirements to be met entirely through renewable sources helping to achieve net zero Scope 2 emissions well ahead of the airport’s original 2030 target, which was achieved in January, 2023.

New fleet of electric buses in operation at Munich Airport

Munich Airport’s wholly-owned ground handling subsidiary has taken delivery of the first 10 electric passenger buses, with another 27 on the way before the end of the year. AeroGround Flughafen München GmbH has the option to purchase a further 25 buses from MAN Truck & Bus Germany in the future.

The German gateway claims that their arrival marks another key step towards achieving its ‘Net Zero 2035’ ambition.

“We are reducing air pollutants, lowering our energy consumption and avoiding climate damaging CO2 emissions,” explained airport CEO, Jost Lammers. “The changeover is a further step towards sustainable airport operations and a clean future for the aviation industry. The buses also offer passengers a more comfortable journey from the gate to the aircraft.”

Quito sustainability summit hailed a success

Corporación Quiport is confident that the recent Quito International Airport Sustainability Conference left delegates in no doubt about the importance of embracing sustainability with a focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria.

The event, organised by Corporación Quiport, brought together renowned experts in sustainability, who shared their knowledge and experiences through lectures and panel discussions.

The airport believes that discussing sustainability with a focus on ESG criteria is crucial for addressing future challenges.

During the conference, the central theme was how sustainability lies at the heart of smart business strategies that can lead to sustainable economic growth.

Experts emphasised the need to integrate ESG criteria into all operations and strategic decisions to ensure a more resilient and equitable future.

“The airport industry faces various challenges on its road to sustainability, including decarbonising operations, efficient resource management, and implementing inclusive and equitable policies,” notes Quiport.

“The adoption of clean technologies and the promotion of circular economy practices are essential to reduce the carbon footprint and improve operational efficiency.”

Good year for sustainability in Hong Kong

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) provides a comprehensive round-up of its sustainability achievements over the last year in its Sustainability Report 2023/24.

The report – covering Airport Authority Hong Kong’s fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 – reveals that its newly introduced strategic framework, Ascend, focused on 24 strategic goals across the sustainability  pillars of Environmental Excellence, Operational Excellence, Thriving Economies and Societies, and Thriving People.

Highlights of the report are said to include AAHK being recognised as a ‘2024 Top-Rated ESG Performer’ by Sustainalytics, a well-established rating company; HKG becoming the first airport in the world to deploy the award-winning Digital Apron together with Tower Management System (DATMS) for airport operations; and AAHK launching a Renewable Diesel (RD) pilot programme, making HKIA the first Asian airport to use RD in ground services equipment.

Other successes worthy of note, says AAHK, include two of HKG’s aviation fuel facilities obtaining the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification: Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (ISCC CORSIA) certification for Sustainable Aviation Fuels handling.

In his introduction to the report, AAHK chairman and former CEO, Fred Lam, says: “Sustainability at AAHK is not just about what we do in good times – it’s also about what we do in difficult times. With this in mind, and despite the challenges of the pandemic period, we continued investing in projects across numerous aspects of sustainability.

“As we look ahead, climate change remains a significant challenge for our industry. We are pioneering efforts in this area, including by supporting the adoption of lower-carbon fuels.”

Another milestone for Queenstown Airport

Queenstown Airport has achieved Level 4+ ‘Transition’ status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.

The New Zealand gateway says that the achievement acknowledges its commitment to sustainability and progress towards decarbonisation. Only 46 of the more than 40,000 airports worldwide have been accredited at Level 4+ or 5.

The airport’s chief executive, Glen Sowry, enthused: “Aviation is a challenging industry to decarbonise. We’ve set ambitious sustainability targets and invested heavily to reduce our carbon footprint as quickly as possible. It’s pleasing to see that recognised, although there is a lot more work to be done.”

Since its initial carbon audit in 2019, Queenstown Airport has reduced its operational absolute emissions by 71% and is targeting an 85% reduction in absolute emissions by 2028.

That progress is based on a commitment to electrification, transition to a certified renewable electricity supply, upgrading of assets and infrastructure to increase efficiency, and a decision to stop using a diesel generator for supplementary power during periods of peak demand.