The UK’s Bristol Airport has switched to a 100% renewable electricity supply, having signed a three-year agreement with global renewable energy supplier Ørsted.
The new agreement will see the airport’s annual electricity use of 17,000,000kWh powered entirely by renewable sources. Electricity is the largest on-site airport operations contributor to carbon emissions. In addition to the electricity used in the terminal and other buildings, a growing number of aircraft stands are equipped with Fixed Electrical Ground Power (FEGP), reducing the need to use diesel-powered engines for essential preflight services.
Over the duration of the contract, an estimated 14,000 metric tons of carbon will be saved across the airport site as a result of the move to renewables – equivalent to the emissions from driving 34,000,000 miles (21,126,620km) in an average car, according to the airport.
Simon Earles, planning and sustainability director at Bristol Airport, said, “From next month, our terminal and other facilities will be powered by renewable energy – a significant step on our journey to carbon neutrality. There is more to do, but this is a clear statement of our intent to reduce our direct emissions.”
In July 2019, the airport published a carbon roadmap setting out how, by 2025, it will be carbon neutral for emissions within its direct control.
As well as addressing direct emissions, the roadmap includes a commitment to offset road journeys by passengers and explains how flights will tackled through the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) – an international agreement aimed at stabilizing emissions at 2020 levels.