L’German Munich Airport intensifies its climate goals existing and now hears achieve zero CO2 emissions by 2035 rather than in 2050 as initially planned, announced its manager Flughafen München GmbH (FMG).
To achieve this objective, measures are planned in four main areas: energy supply, technical installations and infrastructure specific to airports, buildings and the vehicle fleet. In total, CO2 emissions from the 2016 reference year on which the airport can act will be reduced by more than 90,000 tonnes.
When it comes to energy supply, Munich Airport is relying, among other things, on measures such as the use of renewable natural gas (biomethane) for its own cogeneration plant, the large-scale development of photovoltaic energy, purchasing electricity from renewable energy sources and establishing an additional electricity network to ensure access to the green electricity it will need in the future.
In the area of airport technical installations, all apron lighting has already switched to LED technology and the next step is to replace the runway lighting. Additional measures include the installation of more efficient motors in baggage transport systems and passenger boarding bridges.
When it comes to new construction, Munich Airport focuses on sustainable, climate-friendly and energy-efficient properties. The energy performance of existing buildings is optimized. This includes innovative ventilation technology, efficient lighting and optimized control of air conditioning and heating systems based on temperatures and weather forecasts.
Finally, in the field of mobility, Munich Airport intends to convert its fleet of vehicles to electric propulsion. When this is not possible, e.g. in the case of airport firefighters, they will use alternative fuels. The airport currently has more than 500 electric vehicles in its vehicle fleet.
Reach the “net zero” carbon means reducing emissions that the airport itself can influence – known as scopes 1 and 2 – by at least 90%. The remaining 10% of emissions must be actively and permanently removed from the atmosphere. In order to permanently eliminate the remaining approximately 10% of CO2 emissions, Munich Airport began transforming a commercial forest into a resilient “climate forest” in 2021. This allows more carbon dioxide to be removed from the atmosphere and then captured in the long term when wood is used for example in construction or furniture. Other carbon capture projects are currently under study.
