Why Airports Need to Start Planning for Net-Zero Aviation Now

Even with new technology and sustainable fuels facing hurdles, long-term planning needs to account for future airport needs.

The aviation industry is responsible for about 1 gigaton (GT) of CO₂ emissions annually, nearly 3 percent of global CO₂ emissions. If aviation’s emissions were a country, it would be roughly on par with Japan, the world’s fifth-highest emitter. Under the status quo, aviation could be responsible for 22 percent of global CO₂ emissions by 2050.

To reduce aviation emissions, the industry must pull on all levers available to propel it toward net zero. While the transition to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and aircraft efficiency improvements continue to make progress toward achieving net-zero aviation, these alone are insufficient to fully decarbonize the industry.

Additional measures will need to be applied, including planning and investing in airport infrastructure to accommodate the introduction of novel propulsion technologies such as hydrogen, battery-electric, and hybrid aircraft. With novel propulsion technologies projected to account for up to 34 percent of final energy demand for aviation by 2050, scaling of these technologies is critical for aviation to achieve its climate goals.

To do so, comprehensive airport master planning studies which detail short (1-5 year), medium (6-10 year), and long-term (11-20 year) plans for airport development must start now given the long lead time with bringing infrastructure projects from concept to implementation. In the United States alone, over 16 million flights are handled annually by the FAA and the network of nearly 20,000 public and private use airports across the country.

As critical infrastructure assets necessary to support everyday aircraft operations, airports need to be able to accommodate the traveling public, regardless of the technology moving passengers from A to B.

Key challenges and airport infrastructure needs

Airports face significant challenges in planning and implementing the infrastructure required to serve as energy hubs and nodes in support of net-zero aviation. In the years ahead, several energy types will need to co-exist safely together at airports: gas/diesel for ground support equipment (GSE), Jet-A fuel for conventional aircraft, natural gas/electricity for building systems, hydrogen for aircraft/GSE, electrons for electric aircraft/GSE, as well as energy production and storage systems for airport microgrids.

To be ready for this complex network of energy sources will require robust planning by airports now to ensure safe and effective deployment:

• Hydrogen aviation: Many companies, including major manufacturers like Airbus and technology providers like ZeroAvia, are commercializing the direct use of hydrogen (through fuel cells, combustion engines, or hybrid systems) in aircraft — with a goal of commercial entry into service in the 2030s. To advance the adoption of these aircraft, airlines will need to coordinate with manufacturers to assess the potential market for hydrogen aircraft. Also, as hydrogen gains traction as a viable alternative fuel source across many sectors, this cross-sector demand presents a challenge for uptake within aviation, which will require long-term agreements between airlines and hydrogen producers to ensure consistent supply. To support airlines in striking long-term aircraft and fuel offtake agreements, early and coordinated airport planning can help provide assurances to airlines that hydrogen infrastructure – including liquefaction and fuel storage equipment, appropriately sized gate spaces to accommodate new aircraft configurations, and refueling networks/processes — will be in place for future operations. With long-term offtake agreements in place, airport operators and fuel consortiums will be better positioned to invest and implement planned infrastructure modifications needed to accommodate anticipated hydrogen aircraft demand.
• Electric aviation: Companies like Joby, Beta, Archer, Eviation, Bye Aerospace, and Heart (to name a few) are on the cutting edge of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL or air taxis) and electric fixed-wing aircraft concepts that will rely on on-board batteries, electric motors, and on-airport high-speed charging. Similar to hydrogen aircraft, airports will need to understand electric aircraft demand from the airlines and general aviation market. Understanding this demand will enable airports to evaluate if existing electrical infrastructure – including renewable energy generation assets – is sufficient to support future aircraft or if additional equipment will be needed to support high-power charging systems capable of handling turnaround times comparable to conventional aircraft. Upgraded electrical connections, energy storage systems, and collaboration with utility companies will be crucial to meeting demand for electric aviation.
• Sustainable aviation fuel: Today, the responsibility of fuel blending is typically taken on by SAF producers and then delivered to the airport for final use. Alternatively, the blending of neat SAF with conventional jet fuel could be conducted on or near airport facilities by fuel consortium operators or at nearby refinery terminals. Transporting neat SAF as close as possible to the airport reduces overall transport costs as well as emissions. At scale, blended SAF products will need to transition from being transported via delivery tankers to the use of pipelines or rail to relieve road congestion. For example, with support from the FAA’s Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition (FAST) Grants program, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will soon be receiving blended SAF via a dedicated Jet-A/SAF pipeline from World Energy’s SAF production facility in Paramount, California. Over time, airports and fuel consortiums may even consider installing dedicated 100 percent SAF storage tanks as blending requirements are potentially loosened with more aircraft becoming able to safely fly with lower aromatics in fuel.
• Microgrid systems: Microgrids can be installed to enhance energy resilience at airports. As electric aircraft, airport ground service equipment (GSE), and hydrogen production (at some airports), liquefaction, and storage systems increase electricity loads, microgrids can help to alleviate demand from the grid, increasing resilience and reducing airport electricity costs.

A call to action: Planning airports for net-zero

With airport master plans serving as long-term forecasts (typically up to 20 years) that map out future growth and economic development, planning work for future fuel technologies is urgent today for the aviation industry to achieve its net-zero goals. Even though novel propulsion technologies themselves may not be ready for commercial operation for several years and SAF blending limits are currently capped at 50 percent, advancements in hydrogen and electric aircraft are being made today and more aircraft are demonstrating the safe use of 100 percent SAF.

However, without adequate hydrogen refueling and electric charging infrastructure at airports, these novel technologies will fail to scale. Similarly, without dedicated infrastructure and processes in place to transport and blend SAF at scale either upstream or onsite at the airport, uptake will be limited to one-off deliveries.

To achieve net-zero aviation, airport managers will need to engage in coordinated efforts with key stakeholders to catalyze net-zero planning processes. Airports must collaborate with airlines, aircraft manufacturers, hydrogen producers (especially within regional hydrogen hubs), utility providers, SAF producers, fuel consortiums, midstream operators, refinery terminal operators, state/regional/metropolitan planning and economic development organizations, as well as state/local policymakers and regulators. These engagements will be critical to align efforts, share best practices, and embark on innovative projects that can help inspire confidence in new technologies. They can also support airports in building critical knowledge of utility planning processes to help address energy management challenges and accelerate long lead time projects.

Additionally, expanded and new funding mechanisms should be explored to support the planning and development of net-zero infrastructure at airports and novel aircraft. For example, FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants could cover an increased percentage of eligible project costs for novel aircraft infrastructure projects (e.g., hydrogen refuelers, electric aircraft chargers, microgrids, etc.). Ideally, airports should be able to take advantage of financing programs such as the US Department of Energy Loan Program Office. Federal or state-level tax credits and vouchers could also be developed to support the procurement of novel propulsion aircraft, similar to programs for hydrogen and electric heavy-duty trucking.

Planning and implementing net-zero infrastructure at airports will be a challenge in the years ahead, but one that airports can meet alongside the aviation industry. Coordinated action rooted in strong partnerships and technical support will be key to enabling a sustainable future for aviation.

RMI is working to accelerate net-zero aviation, building on over four decades of experience providing expert technoeconomic analysis, thought leadership, and facilitating strategic partnerships to transform the global energy system in ways that will deliver a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all.