Brisbane Airport Electrifies Airside Services
How do you make a busy metropolitan airport function more sustainably? In an Australian first, Brisbane Airport is installing “a common-use ground support equipment charging system in an airside environment.” Initially, 35 chargers will be installed, with plans to install over 100 more in the future. It is another piece of the construction puzzle. The airport has already installed one of the largest rooftop solar systems in the Southern Hemisphere. Zero-emissions buses are used through the airport precinct. The purpose: “to create a world-leading Airport City that future generations trust and are proud of.” Not just a journey but a decarbonisation journey.
Airports are complex and stressful places – everything has to work, work well, be efficient, and be on time. We fly in and out of Brisbane Airport and would be most upset if our trip was disrupted because someone forgot to plug something in, or tripped over an extension cord! You need the right charger, reliable and innovative.
“We wanted a product that could meet our demanding hardware operational needs for availability and reliability with strong local support and provide real-time data insights,” Matt Gorman, Senior Project Manager for Development, shared. “To find a solution to meet our unique airside environment needs we managed a thorough tender process, before finally landing with Freightquip and Advanced Charging Technologies (ACT). ACT chargers are proven in other airports worldwide, so there is a track record of success and they’re easy to use and quick to repair. Plus, they give us valuable data to optimise usage and help users manage their fleets better.”
ACT’s solution? A common use facility to charge electrified ground servicing equipment. There are a number of different ground handlers at the airport using an extensive range of equipment. A common use facility allows the airport to optimise the rollout of infrastructure and provide a cost-effective solution. This common user option is unique to Brisbane Airport. Scott Collins of Freightquip explains: “It allows multiple users — ground handlers and airlines to plug into the chargers. The chargers know whose asset it is. They also know how to charge it correctly and safely.” Reduced operating costs and noise pollution are also a positive. You can watch the video here.
Costel Mustatea, Development Manager Utilities, said: “Because airports are so unique, standard models used elsewhere didn’t fit, so we had to develop a tailored solution.” It has taken 18 months for Freightquip to find and deliver a best-in-class solution.
“Airports are an incredibly complex and dynamic environment, both from its high-energy daily activity and its ever-evolving technology, including the equipment that it utilises. Brisbane Airport has many ground handling and airline customers requiring charging facilities for their ground service equipment (GSE). The decision to provide charging facilities across the airport is a testament of their forward-thinking approach. Freightquip and ACT rose to the challenge, to make sure that the system can charge the batteries of the wide variety of equipment,” Scott Collins, Manager, Aviation Project, said. “Brisbane Airport will know the identity of equipment that is being charged, where, when and how much energy was used,” he elaborated.
Avtar Dhillon, Project Manager for Development & Delivery, explains that baggage trolleys and other small ground support equipment will be the first to switch to battery power. “These smaller machines can run a full shift on one charge, so there’s no impact on flight turnaround time. As the market matures and larger electric equipment becomes available, we’ll expand our charger fleet accordingly.”
Space is at a premium in busy transit centres like airports, so it is understandable that one of the biggest challenges has been finding enough space for the chargers. “When we install a charger bay, it takes away space from something else. But we’ve had fantastic collaboration from the airfield and terminal operations teams and the ground handlers to minimise the impact. Everyone is excited to be part of this important sustainability initiative,” Matt Gorman explains.
Cost saving benefits are expected to come from lower maintenance costs. The electric motors have fewer moving parts than a diesel engine, meaning longer life and fewer repair costs. With stable electricity prices, budgeting should be simpler.
Just as Andrew Forrest wants Australian mining to be a leader in electric sustainability, Brisbane Airport wants to be an influence for electrification throughout the world. “Airports in Australia and around the world are at different stages of electrification. The Brisbane Airport project aims to advance universal airport standards and provide perspective on establishing a unified charging infrastructure that benefits all airport stakeholders,” Costel adds.
“Minimising stakeholder impacts during the eight board shutdowns and ensuring no disruption to airport users and stakeholders was a standout achievement. I’ve delivered many infrastructure projects at Brisbane Airport, but the electrification of the GSE is new to both Brisbane Airport and myself. It’s been a great learning experience while doing what I do every day,” Avtar says.
Advanced Charging Technologies was founded in 2009 in California with the aim of “world domination in the realm of technology.” Big ambitions. The company has previously implemented a unified charging infrastructure at a large Canadian airport. “ACT has partnered with one of Canada’s leading airports to deploy a comprehensive range of electric chargers.” This is expected to minimize the airport’s environmental impact and streamline operational efficiency by establishing a new standard for Ground Support Equipment (GSE) charger infrastructure.
Freightquip are “Australian distributors and service providers of freight handling equipment from some of the world’s leading manufacturers. Operating in a range of different industries, Freightquip brings a depth of technical expertise, data-driven analysis and customisable solutions to deliver the best equipment results.”
Every day brings news of “hard to abate” areas of the economy going electric — construction equipment, sea going cargo vessels, even air traffic. By 2026, BAC expects that more than 70% of Brisbane Airport’s airside vehicle fleet will be electric. The naysayers are finding less and less to pick fault with. Perhaps we will get a glimpse of the electric infrastructure as we board our plane to China in a few weeks. In Brisbane, the future is bright, electric, and heading for the skies.
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