VINCI Concessions announced it has reached net zero emissions at the French Toulon Hyeres airport and reduced the airport’s direct carbon dioxide emissions by 92.5% between 2018 and 2022.
The emissions were minimized through the:
- Introduction of an energy efficiency policy (motion detectors, temperature set points, etc.)
- Replacement of conventional lightbulbs by LEDs in the terminal and aircraft parking zones
- Replacement of a heavy-fuel boiler with heat pumps
- Use of electric or biofuel-powered runway vehicles
- Signature of a guaranteed renewable energy electricity contract
The airport will also be funding reforesting work in a parcel of Le Lavandou forest alongside the South Region, the National Forestry Office, the Mediterranee Portes des Maures Community of Communes, and the Commune of Le Lavandou to capture its residual emissions (48 t of CO2 over 30 years).
Additionally, the airport unveiled a new rooftop solar power plant. The array, installed on the roof of the 180-space car-rental car park, is expected to produce up to 690 MWh per year of electricity for the airport, and any excess production will be integrated into the urban grid.
Another plant will be installed on the roof of a car park with more than 700 parking spaces by 2026.
“All VINCI Concessions’ teams are mobilized to achieve net zero goal in all the European Union airports and also at London Gatwick by 2030,” said Nicolas Notebaert, CEO of VINCI Concessions and Chairman of VINCI Airports. “Inauguration of the solar power plant also demonstrates our determination to provide our infrastructure assets with electricity from renewable sources, as here, in partnership with our subsidiary SunMind.”
At COP 28, the Toulon Hyeres airport was awarded the Level 5 distinction in the Airports Council International Airport Carbon Accreditation program, along with three other airports in the VINCI Airports network—Beja, Ponta Delgada, and Madeira in Portugal.
The certification recognizes the efforts made to reduce the airport’s direct emissions and the work done to help airport stakeholders decarbonize their own activities. At Toulon Hyeres, this includes providing sustainable aviation fuels, eco-modulating landing fees based on aircraft emissions to encourage airline companies to use lower-emission aircraft, providing decarbonized electricity for aircraft, and installing electric vehicle charging facilities for drivers using the airport.
