Flughafen Paderborn/Lippstadt has secured €390,000 in federal funding to buy three mobile pre-conditioned-air units for parked aircraft, with the airport providing a further €175,000 in own funds. The equipment, backed under Germany’s ground-power support scheme, will supply cooled or heated air during turnaround and reduce the need for aircraft auxiliary power units to run on the stand.
The project is aimed at lowering fuel burn, emissions and apron noise while improving ground-handling efficiency at the North Rhine-Westphalia airport. The airport estimates the units will save about 380,000 kilograms of kerosene a year, cut CO2 emissions by around 1,120 tonnes, and reduce sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter. The investment is also intended to help the airport meet European requirements for climate- and environment-friendly aircraft ground handling more quickly.
The grant covers 69% of the project cost and forms part of the federal Bodenstrom-Richtlinie programme, which supports climate- and environment-friendly ground power and pre-conditioned-air systems at airports.