Solar-powered boarding ramps are being used by airports all over the word as the aviation industry works to reduce its global carbon emissions.
UK-based Aviramp has designed a suite of solar-powered Ground Support Equipment (GSE), including passenger boarding ramps and bridges, using Solar Technology International’s PV Logic 45w and 100w rigid solar panels.
Solar-powered boarding ramps are being used by airports all over the word as the aviation industry works to reduce its global carbon emissions.
UK-based Aviramp has designed a suite of solar-powered Ground Support Equipment (GSE), including passenger boarding ramps and bridges, using Solar Technology International’s PV Logic 45w and 100w rigid solar panels.
Aviramp, a winner of the 2021 won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise; International Trade, says the solar panels are proving extremely efficient. The ramps use next to no mains electricity, so create no carbon emissions, making them the perfect choice for airports seeking more sustainable energy.
Mark Burton, Head of Production at Aviramp, said: “Our GSE is ideal for solar power. Boarding ramps are used for 10 minutes on maybe six or seven occasions each day. The rest of the time the equipment is sitting outside using daylight to charge the panels.”
Even in a dull Scottish winter the solar panels soak up enough light to produce the electricity needed to operate the ramps.
“We do fit an auxiliary battery charger, but the feedback so far is that it’s not required,” said Mark. “Inverness Airport have been using our ramps for three years and as yet have only had to use the auxiliary once or twice.”
Using either the 45w or 100 w rigid panels Aviramp has created a range of ramps to suit medium to small aircraft and offers conversion kits for existing diesel models.
Airports around the world keen to increase their green credentials and support the environment, are now ordering the solar-powered ramps and bridges. Airports in New Zealand, South Africa, America, the UK and Europe are already using, or have the Solar Technology-supported GSE on order.
“We’re committed to helping the aviation industry as it works towards the Jet Zero targets. We’re currently working on other carbon-free boarding equipment and envisage demand continuing to grow. The beauty of solar power is it does exactly the same job while delivering zero carbon emissions and saving costs,” said Mark.
The ramps were developed over a 12 month trial period with Eindhoven Airport in the Netherlands.