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Carbon capture investment ‘urgently needed to make green airports a reality’

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Carbon capture, green hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) could help airports – such as Luton, pictured – make an important contribution to 'net zero' efforts (Credit: Shutterstock)
Carbon capture, green hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) could help airports – such as Luton, pictured – make an important contribution to 'net zero' efforts (Credit: Shutterstock)

Multimillion-pound investment in carbon capture technologies is urgently needed if the UK is to make ‘green’ airports a reality, a new report has found.

Focusing mainly on emissions from airport operations, researchers from Cranfield University in Bedfordshire looked at how carbon capture, utilisation and sequestration (CCUS) technologies could be deployed to help some airports effectively become ‘green energy power stations’ to fuel the aircraft they serve.

A combination of green hydrogen technology – generated using renewable energy or low-carbon power – direct air capture (DAC) at airports and sustainable aviation fuel would boost the UK’s ‘net zero’ ambitions, the Cranfield report found.

“Carbon abatement measures have the potential to revolutionise the concept of aerospace sustainability, particularly through CCUS at airports,” said co-author Dr Chikage Miyoshi, leader of the university’s new Sustainable Aviation Systems Laboratory.

“The case airports involved in this report recorded CO2 emissions in the range of 50-100 kilotonnes of CO2 per annum. This indicates the potential of DAC in an airport environment.”

She added: “This all requires long-term investment and strong leadership alongside an integrated energy policy and incentive scheme to facilitate such changes. In the long run, we could see some airports act as power stations to fuel sustainable air transport operations.”

Six different types of CCUS were examined as part of the report. These could be combined with natural solutions for mitigating emissions, including tree planting or wetland restoration.

“Although the land required for DAC is relatively small, the initial investment is large. However, when we compute the operating cost to abate CO2 per passenger, it represents value for money,” said Dr Miyoshi.

“There are various sources of emissions at an airport, ranging from electrical generation through to ground operations. Emissions from passenger surface access (the way customers reach the airport) are the second largest emissions source after aircraft emissions.”

Using current technology, CCUS engineering measures would require up to 2.5km2 of land at Luton Airport, she said. Some mitigation methods could be introduced by airports working with local power stations.

Luton head of sustainability, David Vazquez, said: “This collaboration provides timely, valuable insight into carbon capture and storage technologies and innovations, some of which we will explore further as we develop our evolving net zero roadmap.

“Although we recognise there will be some emissions that we cannot reduce in the short-term, London Luton Airport (LLA) is committed to achieving… net zero for airport operations by 2040. This study is an example of the way in which LLA is working with the wider industry to look at the potential of emerging carbon capture technologies.”

The report – The Viability of Carbon Capture at Airports using Innovative Approaches – will be published at the end of August on the Cranfield University website.


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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

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