Reducing aircraft emissions on the ground

Abstract

Climate change has received increasing attention. A major contributor to global warming is emissions from transportation modes. Emissions from aircraft are considerable and should be tackled. This study investigates measures that could reduce aircraft emissions on the airfield: operating fewer engines during taxiing, using ground power units (GPU) instead of auxiliary power units, and extended towing of aircraft. Singapore's Changi Airport is used as a case study. Results indicate that significant reductions in emission and fuel consumption could be achieved with these measures. Overall, taxiing with fewer operating engines and use of GPU appear to be more feasible in the short term.