Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) reports it has become the first airport in Asia to use renewable diesel fuel to power ground services equipment.
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) reports it has become the first airport in Asia to use renewable diesel fuel to power ground services equipment.
In a statement, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) announced the launch of a renewable diesel pilot project at HKIA. The project is a collaboration with Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (HACTL) and Shell Hong Kong Limited, and is sponsored by the HKIA Greenovation Fund. According to AAHK, HACTL is also the first cargo terminal in Asia to use renewable diesel on ground services equipment.
The renewable diesel used for the project – known as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) – is a drop-in fuel fully compatible with diesel engines of equipment such as tractors, rubber removal machines, apron sweeper and mobile generators. Using HVO, the airport states it could reduce greenhouse gas emission by 87% compared to petroleum diesel on ground services equipment.
“The pilot project marks a significant milestone on our pathway to developing into the world’s greenest airport, achieving our net-zero carbon commitment by 2050 and our midpoint target of 50% reduction in 2035,” said Vivian Cheung, Chief Operating Officer, AAHK. Cheung added: “Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our aviation business partners, we are Asia’s first airport to break new ground on the use of renewable diesel, and we look forward to broadening the usage at the airport in the future.”
Amy Lam, Chief Sustainability Officer of HACTL, remarked the project will help reduce emissions despite the difficulty of replacing diesel-powered equipment with electric versions.
“Not all diesel-powered ground service equipment can currently be replaced with electric versions, so the use of renewable diesel could provide an acceptable interim measure that will reduce emissions, until such time as better alternatives are developed,” said Lam.
For Shell Hong Kong, the project is part of its efforts to accelerate the supply and use of renewable energy in the city.
“We hope that through this HVO pilot project, we can accelerate the supply and use of renewable energy in Hong Kong,” said Anne Yu, Managing Director, Shell Hong Kong Limited.
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