TULIPS: Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport leads the way to circularity

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is taking action to decarbonise its ground operations by 2030. This effort is part of the EU-funded TULIPS project that aspires to speed up the implementation of novel, sustainable technologies to reduce carbon emissions at European airports. 

To make this happen, Schiphol Airport is introducing a long-duration energy storage (LDES) system manufactured by ESS Technology Inc. (ESS Inc.). Under this system, the current polluting diesel ground power units used to power aircraft parked at airport gates will be phased out and replaced with electric ground power units (E-GPUs).

Clean technology for aviation

“Schiphol intends to be a zero-emission airport by 2030 across our buildings, assets and equipment,” states Innovation Manager Oscar Maan of Royal Schiphol Group in a news item posted on ‘SmartCitiesWorld’. 

“Cutting edge, clean technology such as ESS’ iron flow battery system enables us to decarbonise ground operations and is a vital step for us to progress towards this sustainable future. As leaders of the Tulips consortium, we hope this project demonstrates how clean technology can be implemented in the aviation industry throughout Europe.” 

As explained in the news item, LDES makes it possible to electrify ground support equipment such as E-GPUs and at the same time reduces the need to upgrade regional grid infrastructure. Other advantages of ESS Inc.’s LDES system are its cost-effectiveness, suitability for applications requiring up to 12 hours of flexible energy capacity and inherent fire safety enabling its use close to passenger aircraft. 

Schiphol Airport will serve as a living lab for 17 demonstrator projects carried out under TULIPS. Besides the introduction of E-GPUs, other demonstrated innovations will include making vehicles on the platform more sustainable, producing sustainable aircraft fuel on a large scale and improving circular material usage. Research will also be conducted on traveller and cargo journeys and on the capture of ultra-fine particles produced by departing planes.

Beyond the Dutch horizon

Several of these technological, non-technological and social innovations will also be implemented at the Oslo (Norway), Turin (Italy) and Larnaca (Cyprus) airports. Testing these innovations in four very different airports will provide a clear picture of their effectiveness in contributing towards achieving EU climate targets. The lessons learned, and TULIPS technologies and concepts, can then be shared with airports across Europe.

“Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has set an ambitious goal for decarbonisation and has provided great leadership in taking the necessary actions to make it real,” remarks Eric Dresselhuys, CEO of ESS Inc.

“This project provides a blueprint for LDES to safely provide clean, reliable energy in airport operations and reduce fossil fuel dependence. This pioneering project will encourage other European airports to follow the Tulips’ lead and deploy technologies to achieve climate targets and accelerate air industry decarbonisation.” 

The results of the TULIPS (DemonsTrating lower pollUting soLutions for sustaInable airPorts acrosS Europe) project are expected to propel Europe’s aviation sector further along the path to sustainability. 

MORE INFORMATION

CORDIS project factsheet: TULIPS

TULIPS project website

This article was originally published in © CORDIS - EU Research Results