Port of Seattle Commission Approves Design for 'Green' Project at Sea-Tac Airport to Reduce Air Emissions and Save Millions in Fuel Costs

$20 Million in FAA Grants Anticipated for Pre-Conditioned Air Project

The Port of Seattle Commission continued to go ‘green' by approving funds to design a pre-conditioned air project for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save millions of dollars for airlines. Eighty percent of the funding is anticipated to come from Federal Aviation Administration grants.

Once installed, the project is expected to reduce emissions by more than 69,000 metric tons per year and save airlines nearly $400,000 in the first year. The CO2 savings are equal to 2% of the yearly emissions from aircraft at Sea-Tac or the equivalent of taking 13,000 cars off the road.

The project will allow aircraft to hookup to pre-conditioned air provided by the airport at each gate. This allows planes to shutdown their auxiliary power units which spew CO2 gases and cost the airlines fuel to run. The cooled or heated air would be piped into the aircraft from a central utility plant at the airport.

“This investment lowers airline costs and reduces the airport's environmental footprint,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Bill Bryant . “It is a win-win for all of us.”

The project is estimated to cost just over $33 million. The FAA grant, through the Voluntary Low Emissions (VALE) Grant Program, is anticipated to cover nearly $22 million. The rest will be paid through Airport Development Funds and a cost per enplanement increase to airlines of $0.12. This cost will be more than offset by decreased airline operating costs which could save over $19 million over the life of the project, based on fuel costs of $2 per gallon; if fuel costs rise again, the savings would be even greater.

“A centralized pre-conditioned air system is the most cost effective and energy efficient long term means of providing pre-conditioned air to gated aircraft” said Michael Feldman, Sea-Tac Airport Deputy Managing Director of Facilities & Environmental. “The positive effects also include reduced noise from aircraft while they are parked at the gates.”

Today's Commission action approved $3.77 million for design of the project. Complete design is scheduled by January 2010 with the start of construction anticipated in July 2010 and full completion of the project by December 2012.