Company insight
Improved sustainable ground power units
Ground power units (GPUs) are central to airport life. But from dirty diesel engines to the limitations of electrical infrastructure, ensuring efficiency is far from simple – unless stakeholders are supplied with the right equipment anyway. We hear from David Feuga, global sales director at ITW GSE, to learn more.
ithout ground power units (GPUs), aircraft turnaround would mean that the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU) would run the electrical systems in the aircraft emitting both NOx and CO2
W emissions. Crucial
everywhere from lighting (to support post-flight cleaning) to electrical systems (to permit technical checks), these machines are vital to getting aircraft ready for the next group of passengers. If nothing else, that’s reflected with the numbers, with the global market for aviation GPUs valued at over $625m, a figure expected to reach $952m by 2029.
are responsible for 42% of the total carbon footprint of an aircraft turnaround, as toxic diesel fumes float up into the atmosphere. That’s doubly true given many units are painfully wasteful, sometimes requiring eight litres of diesel for a single hour of operations. Between that and the cost – in some European countries an hour’s worth of diesel costs €2 – it’s unsurprising Feuga says that these machines suffer from “very low efficiency.” To be fair, cleaner electrical alternatives have been in circulation for years. But here too, Feuga says there’s more to be done. In the US, some states still allow diesel
“Energy prices are rising fast, a fact that makes the lack of wastage from machines like the GSE 7400 eGPU even more important.”
Traditionally, however, GPUs have suffered from a range of problems – especially when it comes to their efficiency and environmentalism. And though cleaner electric models are appearing fast, many stakeholders nonetheless struggle to get the devices to where they’re needed. Yet, as one global company is proving, by choosing the right equipment and the right partner, change can soon appear.
First movers
David Feuga is in a good position to explore the challenges and opportunities of modern GPUs. An aviation veteran of 15 years, since September 2022 he’s worked as the global sales director at ITW GSE, a world leader in airport GPUs. And as Feuga stresses, many existing GPUs, powered as they are by diesel, can be “terrible” for the planet and users alike. That’s easy to understand from an environmental perspective. Currently, GPUs
Future Airport /
www.futureairport.com
machines, while in developing countries “they’re falling behind because electric GPUs are perhaps not the first priority.” And even when stakeholders are keen to go electric, a lack of infrastructure makes it hard to get new GPUs to remote corners of an airport. Even so, the situation is far from hopeless. One of the “first movers” in electrical GPUs, Feuga explains how ITW GSE invests heavily to offer the “cleanest, most reliable, most cost-efficient” machines on the market. That’s clear enough if you explore the firm’s product list. The 2400 Power Coil, for instance, boasts a 400Hz GPU and a cable coil in a single unit, cutting installation time in half. The 2400 Compact 400Hz GPU, for its part, allows for straightforward software updates via USB.
At the same time, Feuga and his colleagues have worked hard to counter many of the limitations of older GPUs. Aside from being run electrically – saving both money and the planet – the latest battery-
powered devices offer stakeholders far more flexibility. No longer needing plugs or wires to run, machines like the GSE 7400 eGPU can easily be towed to wherever they’re needed, along the way saving $390,000 on operating expenditures compared to diesel alternatives. More to the point, Feuga hints that his machines could provide even greater savings in future. In many places, energy prices are rising fast, a fact that makes the lack of wastage from machines like the GSE 7400 eGPU even more important.
Constant innovation
Nor is ITW GSE stopping there. A member of the wider ITW conglomerate, Feuga explains how his company is centred on what he calls “customer- backed innovation” – using the close partnerships he enjoys with clients to shape where his R&D goes next. One sign of these relationships can be seen in how often ITW GSE unveils new GPUs. They may be built to last more than a decade. But Feuga says the past five years have already seen three new eGPU versions of power units released to the public, each integrating client suggestions on health and safety, aesthetics and ergonomics. That’s shadowed by other
developments, notably around the clever use of hardware and software to ensure electric GPUs can efficiently cope with the variable current flowing through an airport at different times. The point, at any rate, is clear. “We understand the challenge of the airport industry,” says Feuga, “and are focusing on providing them with a solution that will help satisfy all stakeholders.” Given everything his company has achieved so far, it’s hard to disagree. ●
www.itwgse.com 39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53
