Harnessing solar power for more sustainable ground operations

 

 

Three years ago at the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a resolution was passed by IATA member airlines committing them to achieving net-zero carbon emissions from their operations by 2050. The objective of this collective pledge, called Fly Net Zero was to bring air transport in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement to reduce global warming to below 2°C by that date. 

 

As well as a commitment to reducing airborne emissions, IATA recognised that ground operations has a crucial role to play in reducing the global aviation sector’s carbon footprint. Its own research found that electric powered ground support equipment (GSE), using a typical European country’s electricity generation emissions, produces 48% less CO2 than GSE with internal combustion engines. Extrapolating this on a global scale and using 2019 traffic levels as a base, the ground handling industry would have generated 1.8 million tons less CO2 per year if all GSE was electrically powered. Another advantage of electrically powered equipment is a drop in noise level, to between 5.5 to 8 dB(a). 

 

The services provided by ground handlers have significant environmental impact related to greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution, waste generation and water consumption. In the journey towards Fly Net Zero, it’s vital for ground handling operators to play their part and implement a robust environmental management system (EMS) that can help achieve their sustainability objectives, track and monitor environmental KPIs and keep tabs on environmental issues, stakeholder expectations and environmental compliance obligations. 

 

Transitioning away from fossil fuels to GSE that’s powered by more sustainable alternatives has the added benefit of enhancing the working conditions for ground staff. As such, IATA has commissioned a project aimed at assisting ground handling companies in making an informed and well-organized transition to cleaner GSE power. 

 

Significant investment is being made at larger international airports to facilitate the use of electric ramp vehicles, aircraft steps and baggage loaders, which can be recharged through the installation of solar panels as part of the airport’s upgrade to more renewable energy infrastructure. By virtue of their size, with many global aviation hubs being the size of small cities, the opportunity for retro-fitting solar panels onto buildings enables airports to generate electricity for themselves rather than draw more power from national grids. 

 

India’s Cochin International Airport in Kerala, for example, was the first airport in the world to become entirely powered by solar panels and has been generating a power surplus since 2015. It has more than 46,000 solar panels with plans to expand this to increase capacity to 26.50MW of power. 

 

Earlier this year, Dublin Airport announced plans for a solar farm to supply 8.1% of its energy, whilst London Stansted received planning permission this summer for a 14.3MW solar farm that will connect directly into its own network, supporting its objective to achieve net zero status by 2038. 

 

Whilst electrically powered GSE is one way to improving the situation, there are many airports around the world where the electricity supply and / or generating capacity is not sufficient or reliable enough to accommodate a wholesale switch from internal combustion engines to an all electrically powered GSE fleet. There’s also the question of funding this transition, as the industry continues its financial recovery from the pandemic. 

 

GSE manufacturers are striving, therefore, to meet growing customer demands for more sustainable equipment and Newbow Aerospace, which has just celebrated 60 years of trading, is certainly at the forefront of this momentum with its own developments in the use of solar power. 

 

Earlier this year, Newbow was the first GSE manufacturer to launch a wheel and brake change trailer that features a roof-mounted solar panel, which powers internal and external LED lighting. Initially designed for Aer Lingus to enhance its night-time line maintenance operation, Newbow’s Solar XL trailer eliminates tow vehicle dependency and the task of coupling and de-coupling the electrics, thanks to its on-demand renewable power. 

 

Alongside static, roof-mounted solutions for buildings, major advances in solar cell technology which allow for ultra-thin, lightweight and crucially, flexible, solar panels have given rise to mobile industrial applications, which have been harnessed by Newbow. Its unique Solar XL trailer has twin 7W internal roof mounted LED strip lights, delivering 12 hours of continuous operation from a single 130W roof mounted solar panel. 

 

With further orders for this solution already placed by Aer Lingus, Newbow expects to see a significant rise in demand for this equipment, as the availability of lightweight, flexible solar panels gives us the scope to explore products which will make a sizeable difference to enhancing sustainable ramp operations. 

 

Alongside the actual product, however, to achieve true sustainability, we must also consider the manufacturing process. Challenges across the aviation supply chain continue to persist due to geo-political turbulence caused by conflict and international trading tariffs, for example, which has led to many suppliers looking at the impact on their own operations. 

 

According to media reports, many manufacturers intend to increase the pace of reshoring projects and Newbow is already proud to be able to say that 100% of its fabricated GSE products are manufactured using a supply chain that’s located within 100 miles of its factory in the West Midlands. 

 

Following the pandemic, Newbow took the decision to dual source on some key components, in order to alleviate long lead-times, which did not fit the company’s business model for delivering fast turnaround of projects. As the aviation industry builds back, Newbow has continued its strategy of dual sourcing components and raw materials in the UK in order to mitigate against any future supply risks moving forward. 

 

It's going to be a long and difficult journey to meet all the aspirations of Fly Net Zero within the next two decades but if we can all make a meaningful contribution, it is certainly achievable. 

 

As a UK leader in the manufacture of aviation ground support equipment (GSE) for 60 years, Newbow Aerospace has seen its order book expand during 2024, in response to demand for its premium quality GSE products.