NordenBladet – Oslo Airport has welcomed a new electrically operated de-icing unit, the Vestergaard Elephant e-BETA, for the final few weeks of winter. In a first of its kind trial in Europe, the airport believes that the Menzies Aviation operated vehicle will improve the performance of its aircraft de-icing operation and lower its carbon footprint.
Indeed, initial tests indicate that using the electrically driven de-icing truck will reduce greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, by 87% per vehicle each year.
Avinor’s director of airport services at Oslo Airport, Ole Petter Storstad, said: “Avinor has a goal that its own operations at Oslo Airport will be fossil-free by 2030.
“We are therefore pleased that our partners are working in the same direction and have a green focus when they further develop their services.”
Menzies is currently operating 11 Vestergaard rigs as part of their de-icing fleet at Oslo Airport, one of the world’s busiest de-icing hubs.
This trial complements Menzies’ ‘Go Green’ project, established in Oslo in 2018, through which Menzies has made significant investment into reduced-emissions ground handling equipment to reduce its carbon footprint, with 90% of ramp equipment replaced with modern, electric units last year.
Should the trial be successful and the Vestergaard Elephant e-BETA rolled out, 97% of Menzies’ Oslo-based ground support equipment would be electric.
Thomas Hoff Andersson, vice president of Northern Europe for Menzies Aviation, said: “The successful trial of this electrically-driven de-icer promises to bolster not only the sustainability of our de-icing operations at Oslo Airport, but the sustainability of the industry at large.”
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Source: VacationHunter.online