The aviation sector is under immense pressure to drastically reduce its carbon emissions as part of the European Green Deal’s ambitious climate goals. Central to this vision is the TULIPS (Transforming the Future of Airports through Innovation for Green and Sustainable Aviation) project, an initiative aimed at reducing emissions and enhancing resource efficiency at European airports.

At the heart of TULIPS is the ambitious goal of supporting Europe’s transition to a carbon-neutral future, particularly focusing on achieving zero airport emissions by 2030 and net-zero aviation emissions by 2050.

“The main objective of TULIPS is to accelerate the reduction of emissions and the efficient use of resources at European airports. It is part of the overall ambition to achieve sustainable aviation as part of the continent’s green transition. To this end, TULIPS will implement 17 selected demonstrations at dedicated partner airports,” Dr Harald Sieke, Head of Aviation Logistics at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, said.

“Together they address seven strategic focus areas to demonstrate, measure and prescribe the use of innovative technologies and concepts to support individual airports in their transition to sustainable airport operations”.

Based on the lessons learned from these demonstrations, the project will develop sustainability roadmaps to help other EU airports accelerate the necessary actions towards Zero Waste & Zero Airport Emissions by 2030 and Net Zero Aviation Emissions by 2050.

For the transport sector, this means, first and foremost, a drastic reduction in CO2 emissions. This is what the concept of sustainable aviation is all about. We want to preserve the socio-economic benefits of flying but minimise its environmental impact. The long-term challenge is to tackle the emissions from burning fossil fuels in aircraft.

“But there are other important actions we can take now to accelerate the green transition, and this is where TULIPS comes in. For example, net-zero airport operations are well within reach, and most relevant airports in Europe have already articulated a high-level strategy to achieve this between 2030 and 2035”.

Dr Sieke added that what is missing are accepted measures to implement these strategies: “In this respect, airports in Europe could benefit from the demonstrations and ultimately proposed roadmaps of the TULIPS project”.

Hydrogen – a game-changer

One of the most promising aspects of the TULIPS project is its emphasis on hydrogen-powered Ground Support Equipment (GSE). Hydrogen is often touted as the fuel of the future, and Dr Sieke highlighted the considerable benefits it offers in replacing fossil fuels currently powering airport operations.

“Green Hydrogen offers similar operational benefits but without the CO2 and non-CO2 emissions,” he said.

“In addition, the significant reduction in noise pollution is a real opportunity, especially from the perspective of the EU Green Deal.”

TULIPS is conducting two key demonstrations involving hydrogen-powered GSE, including a ground power unit (GPU) and a tow tractor. However, despite the potential of hydrogen, its adoption is not without hurdles.

“One of the major challenges is infrastructure. Airports are complex systems with high safety and operational requirements. Adding hydrogen requires adjustments to the fuel distribution and storage systems, which can be a significant investment.”

Another challenge lies in the regulatory framework. According to Dr Sieke, the use of hydrogen is not sufficiently considered in current airport safety regulations.

“We need reliable data and industry momentum to push effective regulations,” he stated.

Moreover, hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen, is still more expensive than fossil fuels or battery-powered electric GSE. Addressing this price disparity will require scaling up local production or increasing the availability of imported green hydrogen in the market.

“It’s the classic ‘chicken and egg’ problem. We need the right incentives to make hydrogen commercially viable.”

The Fraunhofer Institute plays a pivotal role in the TULIPS project, leading the charge towards zero-emission airport operations.

“Our main goal is to put research and innovation into practice for the benefit of society. The same applies to TULIPS. We are leading the work on zero-emission airport operations, which includes the two use cases of hydrogen-powered GSE. The most important thing is to know the operational processes and understand the end-user requirements. This is essentially what we test the innovations against. The difference is often in the validation of the solutions, and here scientific advice can be a real asset”.

One of the most critical elements of their work is ensuring that the innovations being developed meet the needs of end users – the airports themselves.

“Understanding operational processes and end-user requirements is essential. Often, the real difference is in the validation of the solutions, and this is where scientific advice can be a real asset,” he noted.

Several technologies being developed and tested under the TULIPS project are already being implemented or are nearing implementation. Dr Sieke highlighted the example of electric trucks in freight forwarding operations at Schiphol Airport. Partnered with DJ Middelkoop and BOS Logistics, the project has successfully deployed two 40-tonne battery-electric trucks, marking a significant milestone in the reduction of emissions at the airport.

“We are testing how effectively these trucks integrate with the drivers’ shift systems and the allocation of loading and unloading slots.”

Perhaps one of the most critical goals of the TULIPS project is scalability. As Dr Sieke pointed out, the lessons learned and the roadmaps developed through the project are not just for the partner airports.

“We want different types of airports to use these roadmaps to implement their strategies for sustainable operations successfully,” he said.

In this regard, engagement with airport managers across Europe has been crucial.

“We started talking with airport operators early on to ensure that our solutions are workable and can be adopted beyond the project’s lifecycle. We learn from them, and they learn from us. This exchange increases the likelihood that the innovations will be adopted more widely.”

As the TULIPS project enters its second wave of demonstrations, the hope is that the innovations developed and tested will pave the way for a more sustainable future in aviation.

“By the end of the project, we hope to have developed a clear roadmap for sustainable airport operations that can be replicated across Europe and beyond,” Dr Sieke concluded.