Key sustainable development projects

• Electrification of airport operations: Establishment of power supply and air conditioning systems for stationary aircraft and construction of a charging station for service equipment.

Among the actions implemented as part of its Ambition 2026 strategic plan, one project stands out: offering carbon-free solutions for stationary aircraft.

Thus, Montpellier airport has embarked on a process of electrification of its ground operations. A gradual deployment, between 2022 and 2025, has been agreed. Eight power supply points (400 Hz terminals) and five ground air conditioning units (PCA) will be installed, in order to supply the aircraft with electricity and air conditioning during the stopover time. 

The first objective is to eliminate the use of GPUs (these mobile diesel generators that are not very virtuous) by using the electricity grid directly via 400Hz terminals. The Montpellier project is distinguished by the installation of air conditioning units (PCA), an effective means of replacing APUs (the on-board turbine of aircraft). These APUs consume significant quantities of kerosene to guarantee ventilation on board in order to compensate for cold or heat. Although very effective, these PCA units are currently very uncommon in France.

A second component concerns the installation of an electrical supply system for ground-based operating vehicles, with 30 charging points installed between 2024 and 2025. In total, the project will save 1000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, 75,000 litres of diesel and 200,000 kg of kerosene per year.

In addition, this project is one of the winners of the European call for projects "Connecting Europe Facility". This scheme, launched in November 2021, aims to facilitate the deployment of alternative fuels in order to promote "zero-emission" transport. In this context, the European Commission has awarded more than €1 million in subsidies to the Montpellier project. The rest is financed in partnership with the Banque des Territoires (also more than €1 million) and by Montpellier airport. 

• Geothermal energy on groundwater: Renewal of heating and cooling equipment with systems based on renewable energies.

Since the beginning of 2024, Montpellier-Méditerranée airport has been providing its various buildings with an appropriate temperature thanks to its groundwater. It's economical and it's ecological. 

Almost 10 years ago, Montpellier-Méditerranée airport commissioned its major photovoltaic power plant (which will be expanded by 2027). In 2023, it has embarked on a plan to electrify aircraft parking lots. Last year, another important step in the decarbonisation of its activities was reached, with Montpellier airport switching to geothermal energy. In other words, since March 2024, it has been using groundwater to temper the ambient air of its surface infrastructure, i.e. its terminals and administrative premises.

In order to get to this point, a feasibility study was carried out at the beginning of 2022. A study that compared the precise estimation of the energy needs of buildings with the results of a "test" drilling. The confrontation having been conclusive, the project became a reality in 2023 with the completion of 8 25-metre-deep boreholes. These boreholes are equipped with pumps to suck up groundwater and then reinject it into the groundwater, without loss. Pipes had to be installed to connect the boreholes, leading to major network and road works.

In addition to geothermal energy, so-called auxiliary equipment was necessary to compensate for very low temperatures in winter or, on the contrary, very high temperatures in summer. Latest-generation heat pumps have been chosen, with precise environmental specifications that limit the risk of refrigerant gas leakage, which is very harmful to the ozone layer.

Thanks to this "geocooling" project, the airport is now making significant savings on its gas, fuel and water consumption as well as on its carbon emissions, with a reduction of nearly 60 tonnes of CO2 per year.

€1 million: this is the cost of this environmental project. This investment was made possible thanks to co-financing from ADEME (Agency for the Environment and Energy Management) to the tune of €265,700 and the FEDER Occitanie (European Regional Development Fund) to the tune of €251,829. The remaining half a million was taken care of by the airport itself.