Brisbane Airport reaches net-zero milestone

Brisbane Airport is now 100 per cent powered by renewable electricity, having achieved net zero on two of the three metrics – scope one and scope two – used to measure emissions.

Scope one emissions are from sources of which an organisation either owns or has direct control, while scope two refers to emissions from the energy consumed by the organisation.

Emissions from departing and arriving aircraft were considered scope three, so did not factor into the airport’s achievement.

Electric vehicle at Brisbane Airport, which has achieved net-zero for its ground operations. Credit: Brisbane Airport

That caveat was not lost on Brisbane Airport Corporation chief executive Gert-Jan de Graaff.

“There is far more work to be done,” he said.

“We know the most significant source of emissions comes from aviation fuel used by our airline partners.

“It’s why we continue to represent all airports on the Australian Jet Zero Council, and support research undertaken at Brisbane Airport by Stralis, which is developing a hydrogen-electric aircraft, with a test flight planned for this year.”

As of New Year’s Day, all the airport’s electricity was sourced from onsite solar panels (10MW) and renewable generation from Stanwell Corporation via the power grid.

“From midnight our renewable power purchase agreement kicked in with Stanwell, providing up to 185 GWh of renewable backed wind and solar energy per year from regional Queensland. This is a milestone moment,” de Graaf said.

“It means renewable backed power will operate everything from the systems you use at check-in, baggage conveyors, air conditioning, departure screens, escalators, electric ground services equipment, right through to the runway lights that guide your aircraft safely into the sky.”

Solar panels on site at Brisbane Airport.Credit: Brisbane Airport

In addition to the changes to its electricity supply, Brisbane Airport has also replaced 24 internal combustion engine fleet vehicles with electric vehicles.

The remaining 3 per cent of emissions were offset through native bush regeneration in south-west Queensland through Tasman Environmental Markets.

Stanwell chief executive Michael O’Rourke said Brisbane Airport was being supplied with enough clean energy to offset all its operations.

“Back in 2022 when this historic deal was signed, Brisbane Airport was Stanwell’s very first customer for our renewable energy pipeline,” he said.

“Since then, we’ve signed many more commercial and industrial customers as we diversify our generation portfolio in response to evolving market expectations to include renewable and low emissions energy sources.”

Queensland Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki said the airport’s partnership with Stanwell demonstrated “demand for Queensland’s high quality renewable energy”.

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