The two custom-built vehicles are expected to be operational in early 2024.
After a large-scale test with two electric hydrant fuel dispensers at Brussels Airport, Skytanking has now ordered two custom-made electric fuel dispensers. These vehicles extract jet fuel from the underground piping system and pump it into the aircraft. During the test period, which lasted several months, more than 2200 refuelings were carried out. This provided insight into the optimal battery performance, the required chassis and the charging infrastructure. The custom-built vehicles are expected to enter service in early 2024.
The Stargate project, an initiative of Brussels Airport as part of the European Green Deal to implement innovative solutions to make the airport sector greener, investigates new ways to reduce emissions from ground operations. In 2022, Stargate partner Skytanking started an intensive test period with two fully electric hydrant fuel dispensers at Brussels Airport. These converted electric vehicles from Turkish Fuel Services were originally equipped with a diesel engine. They were designed and tested in Belgium to gain insight into energy consumption as a function of the aircraft model, the average distance per refueling at the airport and the weather conditions. The tests also made it possible to determine the ideal battery size and charging infrastructure for each vehicle.
During the test period from mid-October 2022 to mid-May 2023, more than 2200 refuelings took place with the electric hydrant dispensers to gain the necessary insights and test the vehicles in an operational environment. Following this successful testing period, Skytanking will now order its own bespoke, 100% electric hydrant fuel dispensers, built on an electric chassis for easy reproduction.
New technologies also bring new challenges. Therefore, Skytanking carried out an additional study with the vehicle manufacturer to identify and minimize the risks associated with the high voltage technology and determine the requirements for the lithium batteries in order to reduce the footprint of the manufacturing process. The chosen battery type should guarantee an expected service life of at least 10 years and will maintain a stable temperature even under warm conditions.
The two custom-built vehicles are expected to be operational in early 2024. The order for these brand new vehicles will be accompanied by the implementation of the necessary infrastructural adjustments at Brussels Airport to add the necessary charging stations for these vehicles.
The Stargate project aims to investigate new technologies and implementations that can make the entire European airport and aviation industry greener. The results of specific projects will make it possible to apply the same principles and projects to other airports in Europe, even outside the scope of the original programme, said the Belgian airport.
