AirAsia has today announced the introduction of an APU OFF initiative at Kuala Lumpur’s Terminal 2 in a bid to cut carbon emissions.
At an event attended by Malaysian transport minister YB Loke Siew Fook, AirAsia and Smart Airport Systems demonstrated the use of combo units, an advanced type of ground support equipment (GSE) that offers dual functionality of a ground power unit (GPU) and air conditioning unit (ACU) to provide for the electrical and air-cooling needs of an aircraft while stationary.
Without adequate ground power and a performing ACU, an aircraft relies on the use of its auxiliary power unit (APU) to perform the same functions.
But AirAsia said the operation of APUs is “cost and carbon-inefficient” due to being powered by aviation turbine fuel.
By adopting Smart Airport Systems’ combo units, AirAsia expects to reduce APU costs and associated carbon emissions by 90 per cent at optimal usage.
According to Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad’s (MAHB) Annual Report 2023, aircraft emissions contributed 53 per cent of total CO2 emissions at its airports, of which 23 per cent is attributed to APU usage.
Kesavan Sivanandam, chief airport and customer experience officer at AirAsia Aviation Group, said: “These energy-efficient combo units unlock a major opportunity for airlines like AirAsia to decarbonise because we operate in countries with high humidity.
“Previously, we had been unable to make the switch because conventional GPUs lack cabin cooling functions which are necessary for the comfort of our guests.”
From left to right: Kesavan Sivanandam, chief airport and customer experience officer at AirAsia, Yap Mun Ching, chief sustainability officer of Capital A, YB Loke Siew Fook, the Malaysian minister of transport, Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra, managing director at AirAsia Malaysia, Mohit Khatri, head of ground operations projects at AirAsia and Fazrul Khan, duty manager of ground operations projects at AirAsia
Amaury Papillault, regional director of Smart Airport Systems, added: “For more than 20 years, SAS has been a pioneer in the implementation of effective APU OFF initiatives and we are delighted to partner with AirAsia on its journey to reduce its carbon footprint on the ground.
“The airline community has long recognised the role that turning off APUs can play in effectively reducing aircraft ground emissions.
“With these easy-to-deploy combo units, cutting APU emissions becomes a low-hanging fruit that all airlines can adopt as part of their decarbonisation programmes.”
Papillault said that adopting combo units also helps to improve working conditions for ground technicians and handlers as it leads to less air and noise pollution, notably from jet fumes generated by APUs.
During a live demonstration with the Malaysian transport minister, Smart Airport Systems showed that it took less than two minutes to connect and activate the combo units upon an aircraft’s arrival at the gate during transit.
AirAsia is deploying its first four combo units from SAS starting this month. The airline expects to introduce additional units at Kuala Lumpur’s Terminal 2 and all major domestic hubs by the end of 2025.
Upon full implementation, the units are expected to reduce AirAsia’s ground-based emissions by 20,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
APU OFF is a programme that allows airlines to turn off their APUs while aircraft are on the ground to reduce emissions and save fuel.
