, are currently demonstrating innovative environmental solutions at airports, which can be replicated on a European scale.
Ground Support Equipment
Sustainable ground operations at airports have received growing attention in the last few years as a way to address concerns regarding health and working conditions of airport operational staff, as well as the impact on communities in the vicinity of airports (see Chapter 2). States are already in the process of adopting more stringent regulations to address these concerns resulting in airports looking to fully electrify their ground operations
[22]
.
To advance carbon neutrality of ground operations, Skytanking and Brussels Airport have been developing electric hydrant fuel dispensers, which deliver aviation fuel from the underground hydrant system into the aircraft. After a successful test period in 2023 during which two diesel fuel dispensers were retrofitted to run on electricity, Skytanking commissioned two custom made fully electric hydrant fuel dispenser, which were delivered in 2024 leading to a significant reduction in noise and exhaust gases, which is important for both the local environment and for the ground handling staff. As part of the same research project, DHL Express has replaced a third of its ground handling fleet (tractors, container lifts, belly loaders and pushbacks) with fully electric equivalents.
In 2024, Frankfurt Airport commissioned an expansion to its vertical photovoltaic solar energy system beside Runway 18 West in order to supply renewable energy to power electrified ground support equipment
[23]
. This facility has provided such encouraging results that it has gradually expanded from 8.4 kW to 17.4 MW, and is now considered the world’s largest facility of its kind at an airport. The airport is also using charging infrastructure bidirectionally, which means it’s possible to turn electric vehicles into mobile power storage units
[24]
.
Zero Emission Aircraft
The European Commission has established the Alliance for Zero Emission Aircraft (AZEA) to prepare the aviation ecosystem for the entry into service of hydrogen and electric aircraft (see Technology-Design chapter). This will require major investment in energy infrastructure to support the large-scale introduction of zero-emission aircraft, which will be a crucial pillar in reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
GOLIAT is an EU project that brings together all relevant aviation stakeholders to demonstrate small-scale liquid hydrogen aircraft ground operations at three European airports
[25]
. Launched in 2024, the group will support the aviation industry’s adoption of liquid hydrogen (LH2) transportation and energy storage solutions by:
Developing and demonstrating LH2 refuelling technologies scaled-up for future large aircraft;
Demonstrating small-scale LH2 aircraft ground operations at airports;
Developing the standardisation and certification framework for future LH2 operations; and
Assessing the sizing and economics of the hydrogen value chains for airports.
New airport pavement bearing strength calculation to optimise maintenance works
In order to ensure safe aircraft operations, airports need to continuously monitor the lifetime and life cycle of critical pavement infrastructure (runways, taxiways and aprons) based on the impact caused by different types of aircraft with different weights, tyre geometry and tyre pressure. In 2024 EASA published guidance to European airports and competent authorities that changed the Aircraft Classification Rating - Pavement Classification Rating (ACRPCR) methodology used to calculate pavement bearing strength
[26]
. These changes are expected to optimise the use of pavement, reduce maintenance needs and costs and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a well-managed and better targeted pavement life cycle management by airports.
Sustainable Aviation Fuels
The European policy framework for the deployment of SAF is ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, which sets out a supply mandate for aviation fuel suppliers and an obligation on Union airports to facilitate this supply of aviation fuels containing the minimum shares of SAF to aircraft operators. European airports are also taking voluntary actions to support the uptake of SAF through various means (
). A detailed overview of these types of SAF incentive initiatives by European airports has been compiled by ACI EUROPE
[27]
.
The EU ALIGHT research project, led by Copenhagen airport, is looking into how to address the barriers to the supply and handling of SAF at major airports by improving the logistics chain in the most efficient and cost-effective manner
[28]
.
Greening Aviation Infrastructure
As the aviation sector evolves to address environmental challenges, this transition is being supported through Member State actions and EU support, notably the Trans-European Transport Network
[29]
, the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation
[30]
, and their ‘financial arm’ in the form of the Connecting Europe Facility
[31]
.
Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) The revision of the TEN-T Guidelines
[32]
introduces requirements on Member States that include the improvement of airport connections to the trans-European railway network, air traffic management infrastructure to enhance the performance and sustainability of the Single European Sky, alternative fuels infrastructure and pre-conditioned air supply to stationary aircraft.
Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) The AFIR introduces mandatory targets for Member States on the provision of electricity to stationary aircraft at TEN-T network airports and requires Member States to define national strategies on deployment of ground infrastructure for electric and hydrogen aircraft.
Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Under CEF Transport Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Facility, 20 projects representing 63 airports from across the EU were selected since 2021, with a total EU Grant support exceeding €160 million
[33]
,
[34]
. The support has been directed to electricity and pre-conditioned air supply to stationary aircraft, electric charging of ground support equipment, electricity grid connections and green electricity generation.
