As a follow up to our previous post Best Practices for Optimizing EV Charging Infrastructure, TRC looks at the unique operational environment and best practices for airports as they scale EV charging, support landside and airside electrification and achieve decarbonization goals.
Dozens of U.S. airports have committed to net zero goals by 2050. To achieve these targets, most efforts will have to include fleet and airside electrification. However, these opportunities are likely to create energy constraints without a coordinated and holistic approach to electrification. Airports, like most large organizations, face challenges with siloed planning, competing goals and a lack of integrated data management. Additionally, COVID’s impacts on airport staff turnover continue to resonate as airports have fewer personnel resources to achieve environmental commitments and transfer institutional knowledge efficiently.
This context is key for airport planning efforts — addressing core operating requirements and organizational realities as part of EV charging infrastructure planning will ensure a greater likelihood of success. To support airport decarbonization efforts, aviation authorities must prioritize integrated planning and dynamic data management, enhanced coordination with airlines’ own electrification efforts and reliance on technology integration.
Need for Integrated Planning and Dynamic Data Management
An airport is a complex operating environment, which makes coordinating and tracking results to support GHG reduction commitments challenging. Each airport must scale its recharging infrastructure to meet the unique operational and vendor requirements for each type of charging deployed. This stems from the need for airports to support a wide range of charging needs, including public and airport fleets as well as charging for electric ground support equipment and aircraft. The best starting point is to take a holistic view of all sources and projected timing of electrified assets, coupled with an understanding of all landside and airside energy needs and constraints. Charging requirements and accessibility demand attention — if sites do not have adequate charging, then the aviation authorities and partners cannot fully capture the emissions reduction benefits of these investments.
Some airports manage their own energy distribution grid — others don’t – regardless, make sure to have proactive conversations with electricity providers to help determine and plan for energy constraints. These engagements are also valuable in identifying alternative solutions to new substations, which are costly, time-consuming and often have negative impacts on local communities.
Airports have long planning and capital improvement time horizons and there are a lot of market shifts in between planning milestones. Taking a dynamic approach to planning requires the ability to conduct “what if” scenarios that inform decision-making as the market fluctuates. While larger adoption of electric vehicles is clearly continuing to grow, decisions by key stakeholders can have a large impact on short-term expected electrification needs.
Partnering with Airlines and Partners to Maximize GHG Reductions.
Siloed planning could result in a situation where EVs and electric ground support equipment are purchased without adequate consideration for charging. This becomes even more important as airside charging equipment may be procured and operated by airport authorities, airlines/ground support partners, or a mixture of both.
The most critical and achievable opportunities for airport and airlines to continue to deepen their collaboration include:
- Increase collaborative planning on procurement as airline electrification shifts the scope and priority level of emissions for airports. For example, as airlines electrify their ground support equipment, the energy needed to power that equipment shifts from a scope 3 to scope 2 emissions if the airport is providing the electricity.
- Collaborate on increasing options and standards development for airside charging where requirements and after-market needs are more akin to industrial applications than public charging.
- Partner with airlines to secure funding to support airport energy transitions. From state-level diesel replacement funding to national electric vehicle infrastructure grants, myriad opportunities exist to fund the deployment of zero-emission vehicles and equipment. The amount of time for this funding to be allocated to the awardee is a critical element for the overall project timeline.
Technology, Technology, Technology
Technology allows EV charging to serve as the backbone and enabling technology for energy transitions, distributed energy management systems, microgrids, and virtual power plants—all of which are needed to meet decarbonization goals in a constrained electric energy environment. Coordinated discussions with technology providers and airport partners are critical elements in developing technology roadmaps. Best practices include:
- Cybersecurity risks, as highlighted in our last post, exist at all levels within the charging ecosystem including at the device, endpoint on the host network and in the cloud. Partnering with IT departments to develop a coordinated plan and working together to update vendor requirements is a good first step.
- Technology pilots like virtual power plants and microgrids are going to be part of the mix to help mitigate energy constraints and achieve decarbonization goals. Make sure to develop and continually update a technology roadmap in order to invest in a systematic approach.
- Lastly, prioritize and invest in existing proven technology such as energy and charging management to help maximize use of electrified assets now.
Airports, as large energy users, play an important role in reducing carbon emissions. Ensuring these fundamentals are addressed will ensure a greater likelihood that climate commitments are achieved.
Next Steps: TRC Can Help
TRC helps clients plan for and scale EV charging infrastructure based on deep experience in clean transportation, smart grid technology and advanced energy markets. We develop operational and actionable plans to scale fleet and equipment charging to meet electrification, net zero and other customer goals and help optimize available energy capacity to support charging management needs. Our team includes dozens of experts in fleet and building electrification, digital and smart grid solutions, power studies and energy planning, charging infrastructure, regulatory and policy compliance and distributed energy resource planning. For more information contact Brenda Enos, VP Energy Transition Solutions, at benos@trccompanies.com.
