ACA4+: A new milestone achieved by Edinburgh and Salvador Bahia in their decarbonization efforts
Edinburgh Airport in Scotland and Salvador Bahia Airport in Brazil, both operated by VINCI Airports, have just achieved Level 4+ accreditation in the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program by the Airports Council International (ACI). This significant recognition highlights the effectiveness of VINCI Airports' environmental policy and the progress made by these airports in reducing carbon emissions, within their own operations but also by supporting their stakeholders in this effort.
The ACA 4+ certification recognizes that the airport has fully accounted for and reported its direct and indirect carbon emissions from its activities and operations, has significantly reduced its direct emissions, has offset its residual direct emissions, and has begun reducing its indirect emissions.
As the first Scottish airport to reach this level, Edinburgh Airport has implemented several initiatives, including the commissioning of a 9.7 MWp solar farm, the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) for operational vehicles, the adoption of green tariff energy, and the use of low-carbon de-icing fluid on-site.
In Salvador, the airport has reduced its direct emissions by 89% compared to 2018 (Scopes 1 & 2), the year it joined the VINCI Airports network. To achieve this milestone, the airport implemented a series of measures, including solar energy production through two photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of 4.6 MWp, one of which supplies 30% of the terminal's energy demand, while the other fully powers three consumption units in the cargo area. Additionally, the airport exclusively uses renewable energy sources. It has also developed a collaboration plan with companies and partners to promote sustainable practices and reduce Scope 3 emissions. These efforts include electrifying ground support equipment and minimizing the use of aircraft auxiliary power units by implementing ground power units.
These advancements reflect VINCI Airports' commitment to achieving net zero emissions for its airports within the European Union, as well as Edinburgh and London Gatwick, by 2030 (Scopes 1 & 2), and across its entire network by 2050. Currently, 60 airports operated by VINCI Airports worldwide are ACA-accredited, including four at Level 5 that have already achieved net zero emissions: Toulon Hyères in France, and Beja, Madeira, and Ponta Delgada in Portugal.
VINCI Airports, as the leading private airport operator in the world, manages the development and operation of more than 70 airports located in 14 countries. VINCI Airports draws on its expertise as a comprehensive integrator to develop, finance, build and operate airports, leveraging its investment capability and know-how to optimise operational performance and modernise infrastructure while bringing about their environmental transition. In 2016, VINCI Airports became the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy, setting itself the aim of reaching zero net emissions (scope 1 and 2) across the network by 2050 while supporting the territories’ local climate transition.
