Solving for sustainability & decarbonization

Airport: Washington Dulles and Regan-National airport, U.S.

The two airports are owned and operated by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). Towards becoming more environmental-friendly, and long term sustainability of operations, MWAA set out an objective to evaluate its fleet vehicles, with the intention of switching from the conventional carbon based fuels to non-carbon fuels. 

While any of the prevailing alternative fuels could with lowest cost footprint could have been selected, safety is first and supreme in an aviation, consequentially, not all fuel types are permitted on an airport. MWAA selected CNG, Biofuel, Electric-Hybrid for the airport fleet-vehicles as the alternative fuel and fuel technologies to be evaluated. The challenge was to identify not only the most effective fuel/technology but one that is feasible at an airport. 

A key requirement was that fueling station must be onsite. This is understandable as fuelling station outside of the airport would mean trips away from the airport, i.e., away from serving the passengers, and was to be avoided. Therefore, rather than being a hindrance, this constraint helped refine the options.

Each alternative was thus evaluated in detail, for its technical, social, and economic viability.

Recommendation was made keeping in mind the most common use of the vehicles and therefore the performance expected while performing these jobs. Notable characteristic of airport work of these vehicles is that owing to the nature of the work such as airside driving, and landside patrolling, they mostly drive on low speeds.

Electric fleet vehicles emerged as the most viable option and to be first trialed at one airport, DCA. The benefits of the EV were extended to public through electric charging stations which got installed in the public parking garages at DCA.

Image source: Personal project archives.