Budget airline EasyJet has announced plans to run a series of trials at Bristol Airport in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint.
The airport said the partnership was also geared towards its own ambition to achieve a zero-emissions turnaround at Bristol.
EasyJet will use new technology to try to cut, or eliminate, emissions from aircraft ground operations. The company already offsets the carbon emissions from the fuel used on its flights.
It is hoped that any successful results from the trials will have the potential to be rolled out across the carrier’s network which spans 150 airports across 35 countries.
Projects and trials will include work in the following areas:
electric ground power units
sustainable aviation fuels
electric passenger coach transportation
recycling and waste management
employee carbon-saving initiatives
supply chain carbon reductions
aircraft continuous descent approaches
zero-carbon-emission aircraft turnarounds
Neo aircraft deployment and fleet optimisation
Jane Ashton, director of sustainability at EasyJet, said the partnership was a “good example” of how the airline could look at every aspect of its operations.
“[We are] really challenging how we do things by implementing the newest technological solutions across a series of decarbonisation and waste reduction trials over the coming months,” she said.
Simon Earles, sustainability and corporate affairs director at Bristol Airport, said the transport hub was taking its commitments to address climate change “seriously”.
“We have made great progress already. By the end of 2021 we will be a carbon-neutral airport for emissions under our direct control, exceeding our own target, four years ahead of schedule.”
He added: “Working in partnership with EasyJet will enable us to develop joint initiatives and projects to contribute towards decarbonising aviation and the creation of green jobs.”
In June, Bristol Airport launched a fund to support decarbonisation projects in the South West that focus on emissions from flights and transport activity to and from the hub.
The Aviation Carbon Transition (ACT) Programme will help finance initiatives that are working to reduce direct and indirect emissions from airport infrastructure to enable lower or zero emissions.
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