As airports add more electric ground equipment, the question of where the power will come from is becoming as important as what is being electrified, Airports International reported on Oct 30.

At established contact gates, the report said, electricity can usually be supplied through fixed infrastructure. Remote stands, hangars and operational areas that change over time may need power without the same permanent infrastructure.

The report said battery-powered ground support equipment from ITW GSE already lets operators replace diesel engines for individual tasks. It said a battery could also serve a wider purpose than a single function, citing the latest development for the company’s 90kVA ITW GSE 7400 eGPU.

The unit’s main job remains supplying 400Hz power to aircraft. With optional AUX outlets, the energy in its battery can also be made available through additional electrical connections, so the unit can act as a mobile source of stored energy as well as a ground power unit, according to the report.

The AUX outlet option is available on CE versions and must be specified when the unit is ordered, the report said. It allows the battery to support electrical requirements beyond 400Hz aircraft power.

Airports International said fixed infrastructure and mobile battery power should not be seen as competing approaches. Permanent installations suit predictable, recurring demand, while mobile stored energy can bring power to places without fixed supply or where operational needs change. That flexibility could grow in importance as airports introduce more electric equipment across larger parts of the airfield, it said.

The report also pointed to economic factors. Battery-powered ground power units have fewer moving parts than diesel units, which can reduce maintenance needs, and electricity can cost less to run than diesel, it said.

ITW GSE’s own sample calculation for the 90kVA unit indicates a lower total cost of ownership than diesel after about two years on average, depending on utilisation and local energy costs, according to the report.

Airports International said electrification will still need careful infrastructure planning, and that planning may increasingly involve deciding when power should be installed permanently and when stored energy should move with the operation.