Airports: apron electrification creates unplanned power peaks

Electric ground power and charging on the apron create new peaks

What happens. Airports are asked to supply aircraft at the stand with electricity and pre-conditioned air instead of running auxiliary engines, and to electrify handling vehicles. European rules and public funding push in that direction. All of it lands in the same short windows between landing and departure, on a grid connection that was not sized for it.

What it costs. Peak charges and connection upgrades, ground-power units that wait or run on batteries and diesel, and ground handlers who cannot charge when the vehicles are idle.

Why the usual fix fails. A larger connection takes years and money, and sits mostly idle. First come, first served charging puts all vehicles on at once. Batteries bought without a plan for when to charge and discharge them are used badly.

How a fixed-price remote diagnosis checks it. From the apron load profiles, flight schedules, vehicle and ground-power data and tariffs I look at how high the peaks are and what shifts them. The fixed-price remote diagnosis tells you whether an energy management that plans charging, ground power and storage against the flight plan can flatten the peaks, and what data it needs.

Background: Economic predictive control