Company insight
The days of diesel are numbered
After a year of unprecedented challenges, the aviation industry is firmly focused on building a better future and sustainability is among its top priorities. When it comes to reducing carbon emissions, ITW GSE’s battery-powered ground power units offer a quick win. The company’s strategic marketing manager and area sales manager Rune Lind Pedersen tells Future Airport how.
s the aviation industry waits for the world to come through the Covid-19 pandemic, it is taking stock and carefully considering how it will adapt to the new normal. A key element in its reinvention will be its commitment to sustainability and the reduction of its carbon footprint. In fact, the industry could well be targeting a lead role in decarbonisation. In late 2020, Airport Carbon Accreditation introduced two new accreditation levels – Level 4 Transformation and Level 4+ Transition – showing that the industry is setting higher targets and actively seeking practical ways to reach them. “There is a big push on green energy now and recovery plans are heavily based on green investment,” says Rune Lind Pedersen, strategic marketing manager and area sales manager for ITW GSE. “Airlines have focused on operating more efficient fleets and retiring some of their more polluting aircraft, and we are seeing growing interest in battery power from airports, airlines and ground handlers.” ITW GSE is a leading supplier of ground power units (GPU) and its latest product portfolio includes several models of battery-powered eGPUs to replace traditional diesel-powered models. The eGPU combines proven technologies, the company’s own 2400 converter at the output and the Nissan Leaf car battery, which is the most popular in the world.
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Where line power is not available, eGPUs provide a safe and reliable source of power for planes on turnaround, without the pollutants of diesel combustion. Compared with a diesel GPU, the ITW GSE 7400
Future Airport /
www.futureairport.com eGPU can reduce CO2 emissions by 90%,
NOx emissions by 95% and greatly improve the working environment for airport staff. They also provide a compelling proposition for long-term cost savings.
“There is a higher initial cost, but since the start of the pandemic, airlines have been focused on operating expenditure,” says Pedersen. “Batteries are easier to manage and their opex is not dependent on fuel prices, which are much more volatile than the price of electricity. Furthermore, our eGPUs use simple components and are the most heavily tested anywhere in the world.”
production and ready for shipment. So, we can power helicopters, business jets, A320s, and 737s – everything. All you have to do is place the eGPU, connect it and start it with the push of a button. A diesel GPU may need 15 minutes of preheating before you can use it. Our eGPUs are only on when they are delivering power, so you eliminate a lot of waste.”
Already adopted by many airports, including Amsterdam’s Schiphol, eGPUs are taking off because of both the drive for sustainability and the long-term cost savings they offer. For any potential customers put off by the higher capital
“There is a big push on green energy now and recovery plans are heavily based on green investment. Airlines have focused on operating more efficient fleets and retiring some of their more polluting aircraft, and we are seeing growing interest in battery power from airports, airlines and ground handlers.”
Safe, simple, supercharged The company brought its first eGPU to market in 2017. Since then, it has been tested by military and civilian operators in temperatures as low as -30°C and, in the Middle East, as high as 40°C, and has always operated perfectly. Its safety, its efficiency and its ability to reduce carbon emissions have attracted the attention of many customers and encouraged the ITW GSE to expand its product range. “We can now handle any application,” says Pedersen. “In 2018, we delivered the first 90kVA unit. Since then the 28 VDC unit was introduced and recently the 140/180kVA versions were added. All of them are in
cost, Pedersen has the perfect solution – Power by the Hour (PBTH).
“It is like a lease but more flexible,” he explains. “PBTH is a monthly subscription based on anticipated use, so customers can start to save money straight away. It moves the focus to opex and the subscription terms can be adjusted if your needs change. So, you can start to save money from day one.”
By combining significant sustainability gains with flexible pricing and long-term savings, ITW GSE is giving airports little choice but to go green. ●
www.itwgse.com 39
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