BELGIUM Brussels Airport Company (BAC) has issued an invitation to tender for the purchase of 30 electric buses to transport passengers at the airport. In addition, BAC will replace 40 service vehicles over the next two years with vehicles running on natural gas. BAC says it’s investing in these new technologies in order to reduce its carbon footprint, and at the same time to improve passenger comfort.
The electric buses at Brussels Airport should be in service by the beginning of 2018, giving an annual reduction of 600 tonnes of CO2. The buses will transport passengers between the piers and the aircraft, as well as transfer passengers between Pier A and Pier B. they will also be used for the transport during guided visits, and to take staff and passengers from the terminal to the car parks at Brucargo or vice-versa. For the last-mentioned route, there will be a driverless electric shuttle. The electric bus will be used until the shuttle goes into service.
In addition to the purchase of 30 electric buses, BAC has decided to gradually ‘green’ its fleet of service vehicles on the airport premises and where possible deploy environmentally-friendly vehicles. The first 40 natural gas vehicles should be driving around within two years, and in the following years the service vehicles will be replaced according to need. Natural gas vehicles emit 90% less fine dust and 20% less CO2 than diesel and petrol vehicles. There is also no smell from the exhaust.
