Leading European airport groups are to help an EU taskforce to prepare the way for the introduction of new zero-emissions technology, including hydrogen and electric-powered aircraft.
Industry body ACI Europe has joined the European Commission’s Alliance for Zero Emission Aviation (AZEA), which aims to get the continent’s aviation infrastructure ready for new types of sustainable aircraft.
One of AZEA’s main goals is to address the “regulatory and financial challenges” in bringing new zero-emissions aircraft into the market as commercially viable products.
ACI Europe said joining AZEA would boost the alliance’s “knowledge base” around airport infrastructure and also support the planning and readiness required for European airports to prepare for the changes that these new types of aircraft will create.
Major airport groups including Groupe ADP, Royal Schiphol Group, AENA, SEA Milan Airports and Dublin Airports Authority (DAA) will be involved in a dedicated ACI Europe taskforce which will contribute to AZEA’s work.
Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI Europe, said: “In joining AZEA, we are further putting the strength and expertise of European airports into the quest for zero-emissions flight.
“Supporting the development and deployment of alternative propulsion technologies is a natural continuation of our work to limit the industry’s impact on the climate.”
“We believe that there is a strong business case behind developing environmentally sustainable aircraft. Industry preparedness and in particular infrastructure readiness will be crucial in securing its market viability and success.”
Jankovec added that it was of “fundamental importance” that the development of hydrogen and electric-powered aircraft goes “hand-in-hand” with the development of the necessary airport infrastructure.