Long duration energy storage company ESS said it landed a deal to enable air-side electrification with iron flow batteries for aircraft at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands. It is mainland Europe’s second largest airport.
Its Energy Warehouse energy storage will be used in a pilot in Q1 2023 to replace diesel generators in the future as part of Schiphol Airport’s sustainability plan. Schiphol plans to be a zero-waste and emission-free airport in 2030.
A pilot will be carried out with its Energy Warehouse system to recharge electric ground power unit batteries. These will replace the diesel ground power units used to supply electrical power to aircraft when parked at the airport.
ESS said its solution was selected due to its superior environmental and safety performance. ESS’ non-toxic iron flow batteries pose no fire or explosion risk which makes them safe for use in close proximity to passenger aircraft, it said.
This pilot will also be part of the TULIPS consortium. Royal Schiphol Group is leading this. Funded by the EU as part of the European Green Deal, it aims to speed up the rollout of sustainable technologies in aviation and significantly contribute towards zero emissions and zero waste at the EU’s 300+ airports by 2030 and climate-neutral aviation by 2050.
ESS’ iron flow technology uses iron, salt and water, which it said provides cost-effective long-duration energy storage ideal for applications that require up to 12 hours of flexible energy capacity.
