What is the Green Airport Solution?

The Energy Challenge

Electrification has reached a critical turning point. The aviation industry is under pressure to track corporate emissions and meet green energy targets. However, several factors make reducing energy costs difficult:

• Electricity prices and overall cost.

• High demand from airport operations and ground equipment.

• Grid designs that cannot keep up with the speed of electrification.

• Infrastructure upgrades that are often fall behind and expensive. 

These issues affect many industries beyond aviation, which lead to insufficient power distribution, high expansion costs, and delayed progress in electrification. 

The AEME GSE Green Airport Solution

AEME GSE has developed a PV-plus-storage ground power solution. It combines solar generation, battery storage, and all-electric ground power units (GPUs). This system bridges the gap between rising power demand and limited grid capacity. It supports both the grid and the local load, ensuring a reliable power source for electric equipment.

• PV Modules: For solar power generation.

• Battery Energy Storage System(BESS): To manage energy reserves.

• Charging Systems: For electric equipment.

• All-Electric GPUs: To power aircraft on the ground.

This green microgrid system integrates solar energy, storage, and charging facilities. The battery system balances the natural fluctuations of renewable energy. This ensures a stable power supply and lowers overall costs throughout the equipment's lifespan.

Advantages

Controllable costs: long-term energy costs are controllable, leveraging low-cost equipment.

Resource optimization: maximize the use of solar systems, supporting the electrification of equipment.

Operational resilience: enhance grid resilience, support continuous power supply, and increase operational flexibility.

Regulatory compliance: meet environmental targets and compliant

A Flexible Cooperation Model

We help lower the barriers to adoption by reducing upfront investment. Our service models provide predictable operating expenses. This allows customers to optimize their energy use and improve reliability even without large amounts of initial capital.

The Green Airport Project

AEME GSE launched its first green airport solution in 2016 at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. This major hub handles over 40 million passengers every year. It was the first green energy solution implemented at the airport. 

Identifying the Problems  

• Our team analyzed the airport's specific energy constraints and requirements:

• Limited Capacity: Older and remote stands faced power shortages, high expansion costs, and long construction timelines.

• Unreliable Supply: Power outages at boarding bridges disrupted aircraft service and risked data loss.

• Intermittency: Solar and wind power alone could not provide a steady, continuous electricity supply.

PV-plus-storage Operation Mode

Priority: Solar power is used first to supply aircraft on the ground.

Storage: Any excess solar energy is stored in the battery system.

Resilience: The battery system ensures a continuous power supply even during grid interruptions.

Proven Results

Over years of operation, the system has achieved:

• 175,000+ hours of operation.

• 20,100 tons of jet fuel saved.

• 63,000 tons of CO_2 emissions reduced.

• 700.5 tons of CO and NO_x emissions prevented.

• Approximately $1.84 million USD in cost savings for airlines.

"We appreciate the professionalism and technical expertise of the AEME staff. Their work has had a positive impact on our project, and we look forward to the next phases."

— Ground Handling Technology Services, Sichuan Airport Group