Avports and Baker Hughes Co. said Tuesday they have entered a deal for the development of lower-emission power systems for airports operated by the former.
Energy tech provider Baker Hughes will develop microgrids tailored for each site under the memorandum of understanding.
“At their managed airport locations, Avports focuses on airport innovation and sustainability initiatives that include power resilience and using power solutions such as green hydrogen”, the USA-based companies said in a joint press release. “With Baker Hughes’ broad energy technology portfolio, which includes both hydrogen-ready turbines and heat recovery solutions ideal for microgrid applications, this collaboration will accelerate the adoption and development of customized microgrids to address each airport’s specific needs.”
“Our combined approach focuses on airport innovation, sustainability and resilience initiatives, including green hydrogen-ready turbines, heat recovery solutions, and other state-of-the-art technologies”, Avports said announcing the agreement on LinkedIn.
Avports chief executive Jorge Roberts said in a statement, “Providing a technical and economic roadmap to airports to meet their energy needs of the future is key as an airport management and operations company”.
Avports, headquartered in Dulles, Virginia state, currently serves 11 airports in seven states, according to the company.
Carbon-Neutral Aviation
“The collaboration agreement addresses emissions reduction and the global industry’s goal to focus on zero-emission buildings, horizontal airport infrastructure, vehicles and aircraft systems”, the joint announcement said.
Member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have agreed to aspire for net zero carbon emissions from the aviation industry by 2050, as announced by the United Nations agency October 7, 2022.
“The achievement of the LTAG [long-term aspirational goal] will rely on the combined effect of multiple CO2 emissions reduction measures, including the accelerated adoption of new and innovative aircraft technologies, streamlined flight operations, and the increased production and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels”, the ICAO said in a media statement on the consensus reached in its 41st assembly.
The intergovernmental agreement followed the joint declaration a year earlier by industry groups to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Signatories to the industry declaration adopted October 5, 2021 were the Airports Council International, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the International Air Transport Association, the International Business Aviation Council and the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations.
“Many long-term solutions require an acceleration of activity in the next decade, particularly the deployment of SAF. Some, such as continued efficiency gains, improvements in air traffic management and the implementation of CORSIA, can provide early climate action whilst longer-term measures are developed”, the declaration stated.
The groups agreed “full support for the International Civil Aviation Organization Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as an effective transitional measure to stabilize net emissions from international aviation”, the declaration said.
Zero-Emission Airport Vehicles
In an earlier deal Avports and Revo Zero Corp. forged a collaboration to develop airport vehicle models that have no planet-warming emissions. These include battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs), fuel-cell EVs, plug-in fuel-cell EVs and plug-in hybrid EVs, Avports said in a press release June 22, 2021.
“Airports require extensive use of vehicles and machinery for day-to-day aviation operations and primarily use fossil fuel based fleets. Thanks to this alliance, Avports and REVO ZERO will now be able to provide a convenient way for airport owners, authorities and stakeholders to manage their roadmap efficiently and transition to a more sustainable fleet of vehicles at their airports”, Avports said.
Vehicles developed under the collaboration are to be deployed in USA airports.
To contact the author, email jov.onsat@rigzone.com
