Potential for carbon capture at airports examined in academic report – the airport power station?

As more ways are sought to enable airports to achieve 'net zero' carbon targets by 2050, or even earlier, a study in the UK has identified carbon capture technologies as a possible catalyst for so doing.

The technology is not new, but few attempts have been made to examine this option previously.

Essentially carbon emissions might be 'captured' in and around the airport (many emissions come from surface transport operations, for example), stored, and then used to generate clean power for the airport and possibly even beyond it (as is already the case with solar power in some countries).

Naturally there will be impediments such as financial demands, the availability of land, opportunity cost considerations and political will, or the lack of it.

But if London Luton Airport, which was part of the study, can support it - an airport with hardly any spare land to play with - that suggests that carbon capture is a realistic proposal at just about any airport. (Luton Airport's runway melted in a recent heat wave, so its concern is understandable!)