Carbon Removal at Airports (2024)
Chapter: Front Matter
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| ACRP Research Report 270 |
Airport Cooperative Research Program Sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration |
Carbon Removal at Airports
ACRP OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE*
CHAIR
Marianne Csaky
LanzaJet
VICE CHAIR
Kimberly A. Kenville
University of North Dakota
MEMBERS
Balram “B” Bheodari
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Darryl Daniels
Jacobsen Daniels Associates
John Dermody
Federal Aviation Administration
Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge
St. Louis Lambert International Airport
Lance Lyttle
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Chad Makovsky
City of Phoenix (AZ)
Scott McMahon
Morristown Municipal Airport
Frank R. Miller
Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority
Ramon Ricondo
Ricondo and Associates, Inc.
Steve Sisneros
Southwest Airlines
Cathryn Stephens
Eugene Airport
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Justin Barkowski
American Association of Airport Executives
Sabrina Johnson
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Laura Rinaldi McKee
Airlines for America
Christopher J. Oswald
Airports Council International–North America
Gregory Pecoraro
National Association of State Aviation Officials
T.J. Schulz
Airport Consultants Council
Victoria Sheehan
Transportation Research Board
SECRETARY
Monique R. Evans
Transportation Research Board
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2024 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*
OFFICERS
CHAIR: Carol A. Lewis, Professor, Transportation Studies, Texas Southern University, Houston
VICE CHAIR: Leslie S. Richards, General Manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Victoria Sheehan, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC
MEMBERS
Michael F. Ableson, CEO, Arrival Automotive–North America, Detroit, MI
James F. Albaugh, President and CEO, The Boeing Company (retired), Scottsdale, AZ
Carlos M. Braceras, Executive Director, Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City
Douglas C. Ceva, Vice President, Customer Lead Solutions, Prologis, Inc., Jupiter, FL
Nancy Daubenberger, Commissioner of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Paul
Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner, New York State Department of Transportation, Albany
Garrett Eucalitto, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Newington
Chris T. Hendrickson, Hamerschlag University Professor of Engineering Emeritus, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Randell Iwasaki, President and CEO, Iwasaki Consulting Services, Walnut Creek, CA
Ashby Johnson, Executive Director, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Austin, TX
Joel M. Jundt, Secretary of Transportation, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Pierre
Hani S. Mahmassani, W.A. Patterson Distinguished Chair in Transportation; Director, Transportation Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Scott C. Marler, Director, Iowa Department of Transportation, Ames
Ricardo Martinez, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA
Michael R. McClellan, Vice President, Strategic Planning, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Atlanta, GA
Russell McMurry, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta
Craig E. Philip, Research Professor and Director, VECTOR, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Steward T.A. Pickett, Distinguished Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY
Susan A. Shaheen, Professor and Co-director, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley
Marc Williams, Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Michael R. Berube, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Sustainable Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
Amit Bose, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC
Tristan Brown, Deputy Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Steven Cliff, Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento
Rand Ghayad, Senior Vice President, Association of American Railroads, Washington, DC
LeRoy Gishi, Chief, Division of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Germantown, MD
Robert C. Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Jason Kelly, Deputy Commanding General for Civil Works and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC
Zahra “Niloo” Parvinashtiani, Engineer, Mobility Consultant Solutions, Iteris Inc., Fairfax, VA, and Chair, TRB Young Members Coordinating Council
Ann Phillips (Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, retired), Maritime Administrator, Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Sophie Shulman, Deputy Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC
Karl Simon, Director, Transportation and Climate Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Polly Trottenberg, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Jim Tymon, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC
Veronica Vanterpool, Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
Michael Whitaker, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Kristin White, Acting Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Vinn White, Deputy Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Washington, DC
___________________
* Membership as of November 2024.
* Membership as of November 2024.
AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 270
Carbon Removal at Airports
Kate Andrus
Celeste Vandeventer
Lauren Rasmussen
Jen Wolchansky
Krista Robertson
Ben Pecheux
Candace Gosney
MEAD & HUNT, INC.
Denver, CO
Carly Shannon
LINX STRATEGIES
Culver City, CA
Katherine B. Preston
Sara Kaplan
Julia M. Nagy
HMMH
Washington, DC
Scott Cary
Zhe Huang
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
Denver, CO
Keith Paustian
Jane Zelikova
Amy Swan
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Fort Collins, CO
Subscriber Categories
Aviation • Environment
Research sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration
AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
Airports are vital national resources. They serve a key role in transportation of people and goods and in regional, national, and international commerce. They are where the nation’s aviation system connects with other modes of transportation and where federal responsibility for managing and regulating air traffic operations intersects with the role of state and local governments that own and operate most airports. Research is necessary to solve common operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the airport industry. The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the airport industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it.
The need for ACRP was identified in TRB Special Report 272: Airport Research Needs: Cooperative Solutions in 2003, based on a study sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ACRP carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agencies and not being adequately addressed by existing federal research programs. ACRP is modeled after the successful National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP). ACRP undertakes research and other technical activities in various airport subject areas, including design, construction, legal, maintenance, operations, safety, policy, planning, human resources, and administration. ACRP provides a forum where airport operators can cooperatively address common operational problems.
ACRP was authorized in December 2003 as part of the Vision 100—Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The primary participants in the ACRP are (1) an independent governing board, the ACRP Oversight Committee (AOC), appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation with representation from airport operating agencies, other stakeholders, and relevant industry organizations such as the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), Airlines for America (A4A), and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) as vital links to the airport community; (2) TRB as program manager and secretariat for the governing board; and (3) the FAA as program sponsor. In October 2005, the FAA executed a contract with the National Academy of Sciences formally initiating the program.
ACRP benefits from the cooperation and participation of airport professionals, air carriers, shippers, state and local government officials, equipment and service suppliers, other airport users, and research organizations. Each of these participants has different interests and responsibilities, and each is an integral part of this cooperative research effort.
Research problem statements for ACRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the AOC to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects and defining funding levels and expected products.
Once selected, each ACRP project is assigned to an expert panel appointed by TRB. Panels include experienced practitioners and research specialists; heavy emphasis is placed on including airport professionals, the intended users of the research products. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, ACRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation.
Primary emphasis is placed on disseminating ACRP results to the intended users of the research: airport operating agencies, service providers, and academic institutions. ACRP produces a series of research reports for use by airport operators, local agencies, the FAA, and other interested parties; industry associations may arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, webinars, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by airport industry practitioners.
ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 270
Project 02-100
ISSN 2572-3731 (Print)
ISSN 2572-374X (Online)
ISBN 978-0-309-73047-1
Library of Congress Control Number 2024949533
Digital Object Identifier: 10.17226/28458
© 2024 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trademarks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein.
Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP.
NOTICE
The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors.
The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or specifications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications.
The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the Airport Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report.
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AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
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The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president.
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Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org.
The Transportation Research Board is one of seven major program divisions of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to mobilize expertise, experience, and knowledge to anticipate and solve complex transportation-related challenges. The Board’s varied activities annually engage about 8,500 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state departments of transportation, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation.
Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.
COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CRP STAFF FOR ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 270
Monique R. Evans, Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Marci A. Greenberger, Manager, Airport Cooperative Research Program
Brittany Summerlin-Azeez, Program Coordinator
Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications
Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications
Kristin C. Sawyer, Editor
ACRP PROJECT 02-100 PANEL
Field of Environment
Stephanie Meyn, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Seattle, WA (Chair)
Jennifer Aldcroft, Duncan, B.C.
Andrew Jones, Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, GA
Xiaobo Liu, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York, NY
Brendan J. Reed, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, San Diego, CA
Judith Rodriguez, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Abigail Cohen, FAA Liaison
Melinda Z. Pagliarello, Airports Council International—North America Liaison
FOREWORD
By Marci A. Greenberger
Staff Officer
Transportation Research Board
ACRP Research Report 270: Carbon Removal at Airports informs airport operators of the carbon dioxide–removal (CDR) pathways and potential applicability to the aviation industry. Information on CDR pathways is supplemented with details about the opportunities and constraints for airports, along with guidelines on how to evaluate the application of CDR pathways. It is important to note that the CDR industry is rapidly changing; new technology, science, and best practices are constantly being discovered and published. The Airport Carbon-Removal Pathway Tool was developed to help airports better understand potential CDR pathways, and the communication tool was developed to assist airports in communicating with and educating their partners and stakeholders. This report and the tools will be useful to airport employees seeking solutions to achieve net-zero emissions goals.
Airports are committing to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, some by as soon as 2050. ACRP Research Report 220: Guidebook for Developing a Zero- or Low-Emissions Roadmap at Airports (Morrison et al. 2021) provides the information that airports need to develop a roadmap for zero or low emissions at their airports and focuses on strategies to reduce carbon emissions. ACRP Research Report 270 focuses on carbon-removal approaches that might be new to airports and would complement other emissions-reduction strategies.
Under ACRP Project 02-100, “Carbon Removal and Reduction to Support Airport Net-Zero Goals,” the research team, led by Mead & Hunt, in conjunction with Linx Strategies, HMMH, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Colorado State University, began with a gap analysis of existing literature related to carbon-reduction strategies and carbon removal. The analysis was additionally informed through conversations with organizations in other industries that are further down the path of implementing CDR since it is not occurring widely at airports.
The report aims to define the terms related to CDR and potential applications. It discusses the need for carbon reduction, the different pathways for removing carbon, a process for evaluating CDR, and airport-specific considerations. Case studies are provided for readers to learn from others who have implemented CDR, or similar projects, involving stakeholders in implementation and how to use the technical tool and the communication toolkit. This guide and the tools will benefit those wanting to evaluate potential CDR pathways and integrate them into their net-zero roadmaps.
Supplemental materials—(1) the Airport Carbon-Removal Pathway Tool, (2) an installation guide for information technology (IT) administrators, (3) an installation walkthrough video for IT administrators, and (4) the communication toolkit—can be found on the National Academies Press website (nap.nationalacademies.org) by searching for ACRP Research Report 270: Carbon Removal at Airports and looking under “Resources.”
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CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction to Carbon Dioxide Removal
1.2 Airports Net-Zero Roadmaps
1.3 Links to Previous ACRP Research
1.4 Context of Carbon Markets and CDR Certifications
Chapter 2 Carbon Dioxide–Removal Pathways
Chapter 3 Carbon Dioxide–Removal Evaluation
3.2 Barriers to Implementation at Airports
3.3 Regulatory Coordination and Context
4.2 Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport, Rock Springs, Wyoming
4.3 Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado
4.4 San Diego International Airport, San Diego, California
4.5 Indianapolis International Airport, Indianapolis, Indiana
4.7 Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand
Chapter 5 Implementation Considerations: Stakeholder Coordination and Partnerships
Chapter 6 Funding and Financing Considerations
6.1 Funding and Financing for CDR
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