Counting Carbon

Airports are caught in the middle of two opposite dynamics: growing global demand for capacity and reducing the carbon footprint of operations. Combibox Systems, the pioneer of in-ground support systems, is devoted to prove the benefits of using direct electricity as a way to progress.

Combibox Systems has recently carried out an environmental impact analysis of different support solutions to provide aircraft parked at gate with ground power, pre conditioned air and potable water. “We have increasingly devoted time and energy to research and talk about the environmental benefits of our concept of in-ground supply of ground support,” says Leif Lindh, president of Combibox Systems.

Using direct electricity with an in-ground system to provide 400Hz power reduces the environmental impact equivalent to 32 tons of CO 2 per year for a typical narrow body gate according to the study by Combibox. If an aircraft parked at a gate uses only its own APU (Jet fuel driven power generator) for the complete turn around this results in yearly emissions of 520 tons of CO 2 for just one gate. Using diesel powered GSE yields approximately 95 tons of CO 2 yearly for just one gate and for the supply of ground power alone.

Similar results can be found for PCA, potable water and lavatory servicing in terms of substantial CO 2 savings per year. Combibox systems reduces the number of diesel powered mobile units on the apron and minimises the use of the aircrafts own APU per turnaround. This is achieved by the centralised generation of support media and in-ground distribution to pits installed in the apron close to the aircraft.

“In this day and age every source of emission associated with air traffic must be considered and minimised by airports to create the eco-friendly airport for the future,” says Leif Lindh. “And we aim to be part of this process by reducing emissions from ground support activities while also increasing profitability and efficiency to meet the growing global demand for air traffic.”