Air bp has introduced a new electric refueling truck for operations at Brisbane airport, one of Australia’s largest airports. The truck will be responsible for transporting Jet A-1 fuel to the aircraft.
The equipment was put into operation on August 30, 2022. Its transport capacity is 16,000 liters, and it was specifically designed to operate for a full day after being refueled overnight. During the commissioning ceremony, Catherine King MP, federal minister of infrastructure, spoke about the general decarbonization of the aviation sector.
The truck uses lithium-ion batteries, and its pump is digitally controlled. This is the first electric hazardous goods and fuel vehicle approved for use in Australia. The company said it will look to continue to incorporate this type of vehicle in the future, as they anticipate that the use of electric ground equipment will reduce operating and maintenance costs compared to traditional refuelers.
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Air bp also noted that this truck is just one step in its emissions reduction plan. Also, and as part of that plan, other measures are included, such as carbon neutrality accreditation for refueling activities. The company states they are also certified under the Australian government’s Climate Active program.
Speaking at the launch event, Daniel Tyzack, Air bp’s CEO for the Asia Pacific region, said: «We worked with SEA and Refuel International for two years on the custom design of this equipment. The demanding performance and safety requirements were achieved thanks to a great effort by our team. We are delighted to put this truck into operation.»
«It will generate a big impact at an airport where we refuel 30 different airlines and around 100 flights per day. A large fleet of equipment similar to this, which we hope to have soon, reflects our ambition to become a carbon-neutral company by 2050,» added Tyzack
SEA Electric and Refuel International were responsible for designing and manufacturing the equipment. Tony Fairweather, CEO, and founder of SEA Electric said, «We are proud to partner with bp on this project. Innovative applications like this help set new environmental standards,» he said.
«We are very proud to have developed Australia’s first electric refueler,» added Geoff Pinner, CEO of Refuel International. «We have been the refueling vehicle manufacturer of choice for Air bp for more than twenty years,» the executive pointed out.
Air bp mentioned that it was the launch customer for the world’s first electric refueler in 2002 in Long Beach, California, and also participated in the introduction of the first generation of electric fuel dispensers at Brisbane Airport in 2005. The company also pointed out that this equipment continues to operate at Darwin and Perth airports.
