Between fleets of rental vehicles and ground support equipment, electricity demand at U.S. airports might quintuple in the next 20 years.

Smaller regional and general aviation airports, which often have simple rural electric connections, are part of that overwhelming growth. Major airport electric investments are incoming, to say nothing of battery-powered electric aircraft that require substantial charging supplies on the ground.

With 30-year decision making in the air, researchers at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory, are using the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) platform and other capabilities to analyze energy options for airports, utilities and public regulators. In many cases, they find a win-win for on-site energy generation and storage.

ON-SITE POWER OF OFFSET COSTS

For any utility, a fivefold expansion in electric infrastructure is serious work. Add