Teesside Airport’s Helping Green Careers Take Off

Teesside International Airport is going green – and teaching the next generation – for a cleaner tomorrow.

Teesside Airport recently launched its Net Zero Strategy, which aims to make the airport operationally Net Zero by 2030 and aims to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel to achieve Net Zero flights by 2035 – making Teesside the UK’s first Net Zero Airport.

To help achieve this, the airport has secured a permanent hydrogen refuelling station after it was successful in Government’s latest £8million Hydrogen Transport Hub Demonstration. Low emission hydrogen vehicles were previously trialled at the airport and around the region, and this will put us at the centre of hydrogen development and uptake for the whole UK.

To provide net zero electricity for the airport and its business partners on the site – and potentially beyond – it has also partnered with SSE Energy Solutions to develop a huge solar farm for the airport. The first phase will enter construction next year and see up to 2MW of solar generation installed. This could eventually grow to 50MW in the coming years.

The airport is also helping to pioneer research, development and uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuel – one of the most important issues facing the aviation industry to date.

Many businesses, including Willis at Teesworks, Alfanar and Greenergy, are setting up plants in the region to create SAF – a low carbon alternative to traditional aviation fuels. Teesside Airport is positioning itself as a critical test-bed and champion for these innovative schemes.

What’s more, if you have an interest in pursuing a career in aviation, Teesside University and Teesside Airport have partnered to develop an Aviation Academy at the airport itself.

This will become a dedicated base from which students can learn on-the-job skills across a range of airport functions, including traffic control, management, engineering and – of course – Net Zero and Sustainable Aviation.

These developments prove there are opportunities for low-carbon careers everywhere, and it’s not just industry that is paving the way for a Net Zero future.