Ireland West Airport Knock achieves Level 3 Optimisation

December 20, 2024

We are delighted to announce that Ireland West Airport Knock has successfully upgraded to Level 3 Optimisation of the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.

Achieving Level 3 Optimisation requires airports to broaden the scope of their carbon footprint mapping to include third-party emissions. This is accomplished through close cooperation with key partners such as airlines, ground handlers, and concessionaires.

Aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, Ireland West Airport Knock has implemented a series of impactful initiatives to enhance its energy efficiency and reduce emissions. The airport has upgraded all terminal and external facility lighting to LED, replaced its ground operations vehicles with a fleet of fully electric, zero-emissions vehicles, and modernised its Airfield Ground Lighting (AGL) with state-of-the-art LED technology. Additionally, the airport has upgraded its Constant Current Regulators (CCRs) with new pure sine wave CCRs specifically designed for LED fittings, significantly reducing the energy consumption of its airfield lighting systems.

Looking to the future, Ireland West Airport Knock is committed to further advancing its decarbonisation initiatives. A planning application has been lodged to develop and install a new solar farm, which will generate over 40% of the airport’s annual electricity needs. Plans are also in place to enhance the thermal efficiency of the main terminal building through insulation and fabric upgrades, the introduction of airlock zones, and the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to meet public demand. The airport is also focusing on employee engagement by running information sessions to encourage energy efficiency improvements across its operations.

Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General said: “Congratulations to Ireland West Airport for taking this significant step towards decarbonising the airport’s operations and infrastructure. Achieving Level 3 ‘Optimisation’ is of critical importance for future progression to higher levels of carbon management and to playing an active role in the climate challenge. I look forward to cheering the Ireland West Airport team on in their journey to net zero.”

Discover more about the sustainability policy of Ireland West Airport here