Published on 29-01-24
The two airports have announced that their thermal vehicles that cannot be converted to all-electric engines will now be fueled with biodiesel, a fuel that represents an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions over its entire lifecycle.
From now on, fire trucks, refueling trucks, agricultural machinery and the auxiliary power units used to supply electricity to aircraft in stopover are fueled with biodiesel at Cannes-Mandelieu airport. This fuel, dubbed “HVO 100”, is produced from waste products such as used edible oils, animal fats and by-products from the paper pulp sector. It is the only internationally recognized biofuel for 100% use, and complies with EN 15940. Over the entire lifecycle, it represents a saving of at least 80% in CO2.
The two airports, already holders of Airport Carbon Accreditation level 4+, are thus extending their efforts to decarbonize their ground handling operations.
For Cannes-Mandelieu airport, with an annual consumption of 20,000 liters of diesel, the switch to biodiesel represents a further saving of 42 tons of CO2 equivalent per year, since one liter of diesel emits 2.67 kg of CO2. This volume represents half the residual emissions of the Mandolieu airport.
The Golfe de Saint-Tropez airport has made the same commitment, which will be deployed when the hub reopens on March 15. With an annual consumption of 4,000 liters of diesel, switching to biodiesel represents a saving of 8.5 tons of CO2 equivalent per year.
As a result, both airports are implementing the actions required to reduce their emissions in absolute terms, according to schedule.
This new contribution to Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur’s decarbonization policy extends the environmental gains already made by the electrification of compatible vehicles, all ground handling operations, the installation of anti-smog boxes reducing fine particle emissions from thermal vehicles by over 80%, and the elimination of gas-fired boilers for terminal temperature control.
“No effort should be spared to reduce the carbon footprint of our activities on our territory. Technological developments, far from being the only solutions to be envisaged, represent opportunities that must be seized without delay to achieve carbon neutrality as quickly as possible, without compensation. Our roadmap is clear, and we are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030”
, says Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur.