01646130

Monograph

http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/176442.aspx

Airports own and contract fleets to transport passengers, staff, and goods by on- and off-road vehicles. Although most transportation fuels are consumed by aircraft, using alternative fuels in airport fleets is one opportunity airports have to control emissions and fuel costs and potentially reduce maintenance. Because of complex procurement, operational, and environmental decision making associated with alternative fuels, airport operators can be challenged when analyzing the options. This synthesis of current airport practice compiles information on eight alternative fuels: biodiesel, renewable diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, and electricity. Information used in this study was acquired through a review of the literature, an online survey completed by 33 airports (80% response), and 16 follow-up interviews with respondent airport operators. The online survey and phone interviews produced the following key observations: 1) the use of alternative fuels has risen steadily in airport vehicle fleets since the early 1990s, in both the total number of airports using alternative fuels and the diversity of the fuel types used; 2) Airports purchase alternative fuel vehicles for a variety of reasons, most notably to maintain an environmentally friendly image and to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; 3) Airports vary significantly in their willingness to try new fuels; 4) CNG is used at the greatest number of airports surveyed; however, the fastest-growing fuel type in the past 5 years is electricity; and 5) buses and shuttle buses are often the first vehicle types that an airport considers good candidates for alternative fuels, but a key concern airports expressed about the use of alternative fuels in buses and shuttle buses is the negative publicity that could be created if vehicles become inoperable or are out of service for extended periods. Most airports undertake the same three-step process when considering the use of a new alternative fuel: (1) identify available vehicle options that use a given fuel, (2) determine the costs and benefits of the alternative versus petroleum-based fuels, and (3) examine options for external and internal financing of vehicles, fuels, and infrastructure. Airports reported receiving a great amount of value from bi-fuel vehicles, such as vehicles that can use CNG or diesel/gasoline. The use of certain low-carbon fuels such as renewable natural gas and renewable diesel is limited in airport fleets, but the fuels are promising because of their competitive costs and their ability to dramatically decrease GHG emissions.

Project A11-03, Topic S02-15

English

55p

2017

ACRP Synthesis of Airport Practice

9780309390118

Digital/other

Appendices; Bibliography; Figures; References; Tables

Airports; Alternate fuels; Fleet management; Greenhouse gases; Ground vehicles; Procurement; Vehicle fleets

Aviation; Energy; Environment; Maintenance and Preservation; Vehicles and Equipment

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Sep 12 2017 10:55AM