Sustainability in aviation is often discussed in terms of aircraft technology and fuel innovation. Yet for airports and ground infrastructure providers, the transition is unfolding differently. Increasingly, attention is turning to how facilities are powered, how energy is managed and how long-term resilience can be built into core infrastructure.
From rooftop solar installations to broader renewable integration strategies, energy systems are becoming central to operational planning. The conversation now involves questions of reliability, cost exposure, regulatory alignment and long-term asset value.
Sustainability as part of operations
Jo Parker-Swift, CEO at solar installation company Solivus, notes that airports are complex environments that require meticulous planning for the delivery of solar systems. The company has installed solar panels at Farnborough Airport and Cotswold Airport in the UK.
“It is not like installing at a warehouse in an industrial park. The solar team needs to be trusted to deliver, even with these additional complexities. Security and health and safety considerations, for example, become magnified.”
ACI Jet recently completed and activated a 900-panel solar installation at its San Luis Obispo County Airport location. Andrew Robillard, the company’s vice president of FBOs and facilities, believes the rationale for the investment is to reduce reliance on the grid and offset the cost of buying from a supplier.
“Our system’s output has essentially eliminated our electricity bill long-term,” says Robillard. “In sunny California we overproduce for much of the year, fully offsetting our winter usage. Based on current projections, we expect to break even in about seven to eight years.”
Signature Aviation has implemented several highly visible sustainability and renewable energy initiatives, including the deployment of solar energy systems, the installation of low-flow water fixtures, the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and the transition of 100% of the crew car fleet to hybrid vehicles, among others.
Heather Frost, director, environmental and sustainability programs for Signature Aviation, says that collectively these initiatives demonstrate the firm’s commitment to reducing energy consumption and emissions while advancing its broader sustainability goals.
“Importantly, many of these efforts are highly visible across our facilities, reinforcing our environmental commitments to our guests and stakeholders.”
Along similar lines, buildings can be designed and constructed to provide environmental benefits. Under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) framework, Gary Jet Center in Chicago has a Silver-certified FBO with a LEED Gold hangar designation.
Lynn Eplawy, president of Gary Jet Center, reveals that the biggest change for them has been shifting from reactive maintenance to intentionally designing and operating the hangar with energy performance automatically managed.
“Instead of constantly adjusting systems to compensate for inefficiencies, the building itself does much of the work,” Eplawy says.
She admits that there was an added cost at the front end of building a facility with LEED standards in mind, upwards of 15%, but that the long-term benefits outweigh that upfront cost. “The most meaningful long-term returns have come from reduced energy consumption, lower utility costs and decreased maintenance requirements,” she adds.
The financial trade-off
As renewable energy systems move from concept to implementation, the financial equation becomes unavoidable. On-site generation, storage infrastructure and grid integration require large amounts of capital up front, often within facilities already managing tight operating margins and long-term development plans.
The question for airport operators is not simply whether renewable systems are desirable, but how they compare against competing infrastructure priorities.
Solar is not just about cutting carbon anymore, it is a smart financial investment, explains Parker-Swift.
“It pays for itself in five years, has production warranties of 25 years and it will keep producing beyond this warranty period. Typically, a medium to large airport will save millions to tens of millions of pounds on their energy costs over the lifetime of the solar project.”
For Eplawy, evaluating the financial trade-off for their facilities begins with a fundamental acknowledgment – that some decisions aren’t dictated by a spreadsheet, but by a moral obligation to the land. “Being situated near the shores of Lake Michigan and the Indiana Dunes National Park, we recognize that our operational footprint directly impacts one of the most ecologically diverse and fragile ecosystems in the country,” she says.
Robillard agrees and shares that they were able to offset years of electricity expenses in a short time for a relatively low cost, reducing their dependence on the grid while effectively becoming a power supplier.
“The transition was seamless, with virtually no interruption to power or service and only a brief 45-minute transfer. The system is managed through an iPhone app that controls, monitors and reports performance in real time, with intuitive forecasting built in,” Robillard says.
Frost notes that the capital cost of solar installations is a primary criterion used to identify and prioritize deployment locations. “Project feasibility and expected financial performance are assessed through detailed analysis of site-specific utility rates, solar resource availability and historical energy consumption patterns.
“These factors are modeled to estimate projected savings, payback period and overall return on investment,” Frost says.
Integrating renewables into existing airport infrastructure poses distinct challenges, as many facilities were designed with limited provision for distributed generation, energy storage, or bidirectional grid interaction.
For Frost, the challenge is that there is no consistent integration strategy because each utility and airport has different interconnection requirements.
“This is not insurmountable, but it makes each installation a unique project, which leads to additional time and cost,” Frost says.
Yet how do airport-based solar installations compare with commercial or industrial projects? Parker-Swift thinks airports are ideal sites for solar installations, as there is typically minimal surrounding infrastructure that could otherwise cast shadows and affect generation. “Airports also tend to have a very high energy demand, further lending themselves to solar installations. The most financially beneficial use of solar energy is to use it on-site,” she says.
Parker-Swift adds that a substantial increase in electricity prices over the last few years and high energy demand have created a growing interest in low-cost on-site solar generation.
“This increased on-site demand is creating a greater interest in on-site solar energy generation. Large airport rooftops can become on-site solar farms and provide much-needed energy security,” says Parker-Swift.
Robillard agrees, “The airport community is investing heavily in renewable resources, and as the airport’s largest tenant, we feel that by doing our part, we’re helping the community reach a sustainability goal that is rare for an airport of our size.”
In terms of competitive advantage, Eplawy believes that sustainability certification provides a distinct advantage in the FBO market today, as it has become an operational expectation across the industry.
“In certain markets, sustainability certification remains a competitive differentiator, particularly among operators serving corporate and international clientele.”
A bright and collaborative future
Renewable energy integration is likely to become less of a differentiator and more of an operational expectation. As technology matures and regulatory frameworks tighten, airports will face pressure to embed energy resilience and emissions reduction into long-term master planning.
The next phase will not be defined solely by ambition, but by how effectively operators can align capital investment, infrastructure modernization and stakeholder accountability within a rapidly evolving energy landscape.
Robillard reveals that while it is still too early to fully understand what the future will require, they are putting infrastructure in place now to allow them to rapidly develop and expand their energy footprint as the need and business case for it materialize.
“This includes planning for battery storage that meets coding requirements, designing structures that can accommodate solar expansion, running conduit and other steps to lay the groundwork for future expansion.”
Parker-Swift notes that solar will play an ever more important role in sustainability strategies for airports, as it solves multiple issues they currently face.
“Solar cuts carbon emissions to help reach sustainability targets, saves money for airports, which can then be reinvested elsewhere, hedges a proportion of electricity costs for 25 years, reducing risk and uncertainty, and provides significant on-site energy security as airports transition to have an increased electrical infrastructure.”
For Eplawy, LEED certification signals that sustainability is not an afterthought but part of the operational DNA.
“Whether viewed as a competitive advantage or an emerging standard, it is clear that environmental performance is becoming an essential component of modern FBO operations.”
Finally, Frost says she is excited to be part of an organization taking meaningful action to advance ambitious internal and external climate commitments, while thoughtfully considering how our progress contributes to the resilience of the airports and communities we serve. She says, “Collaboration across the organization, and in partnership with industry leaders, regulatory agencies and professional associations, is fundamental to driving transformative change and advancing the decarbonization of aviation.”
