ACRP Report 78: Airport Ground Support Equipment (GSE): Emission Reduction Strategies, Inventory, and Tutorial
Abstract
Increased levels of demand at airports in the United States may result in a growth in airport ground support equipment (GSE) activity and an associated increase in airport surface emissions. Local air quality and global climate change concerns, regulatory pressures, and the desire to be environmentally responsible have resulted in a growing number of airport programs around the United States looking to assess and reduce airport emissions. Although much is known about aircraft fleets, operations, and emissions, comparatively little is known about GSE. The available GSE data are outdated, unreliable, and limited. Accurate GSE data are needed by the FAA and airport sponsors to plan adequately and to balance the growing demands of air travel with air quality concerns. Proactive strategies that reduce surface emissions may help airports address air quality concerns. To help the industry assess and mitigate the contribution of GSE to air quality impacts at airports, ACRP Report 78 (1) presents an inventory of GSE at airports, (2) identifies potential strategies to reduce emissions from powered GSE, and (3) provides a tutorial that describes GSE operations and emission reduction technologies for use by GSE owners and operators. The tutorial is a user-friendly, interactive, self-paced, standalone tool that provides stakeholders with a better understanding of GSE, their operations, and applicable federal environmental regulations and potential approaches to reduce GSE emissions. The tutorial is structured in three modules: GSE Basics, Emissions Reduction Approaches and Case Studies, and Converting to Cleaner GSE.