Nantes Atlantique Airport has completed a flagship 15 million euro electrification project that promises to sharply cut emissions from ground operations and reshape the way passengers experience travel through western France. After 15 months of work, the regional hub serving the city of Nantes has switched on new electrical infrastructure that powers aircraft and airside vehicles without relying on fossil fuels, positioning the airport as a frontrunner in Europe’s drive to decarbonise aviation.
A 15 Million Euro Bet on Cleaner Ground Operations
The newly commissioned infrastructure represents a major capital investment for Nantes Atlantique and its concessionaire, Aéroports du Grand Ouest, which is part of the Vinci Airports network. Seventy percent of the funding has been provided by the operator, with the remaining share backed by the European Union and national financial partners. For an airport of Nantes’ size, committing 15 million euros solely to ground electrification underscores how rapidly environmental priorities are reshaping airport development strategies.
The project focuses on what is often an invisible part of the passenger journey: the time when aircraft are parked at the gate or on remote stands and serviced by a fleet of support vehicles. Traditionally, power for onboard systems and air conditioning during these periods is supplied by auxiliary power units, small jet fuel burning engines housed in the tail of the aircraft, or by diesel ground power and air conditioning carts. These sources are noisy, carbon intensive and emit local air pollutants.
By replacing this patchwork of fossil fuel equipment with a unified electrical system, Nantes Atlantique aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked to ground activities by up to half compared with previous operations. Airport management estimates that the new system will avoid around 2,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, a reduction that will grow in importance as traffic recovers and expands over the coming decade.
The investment also responds to tightening European rules. Under the EU’s regulation on alternative fuel infrastructure, airports must be able to supply electricity to aircraft at all contact stands by 2025 and progressively extend coverage to remote stands by 2030. Nantes Atlantique’s project moves ahead of these deadlines, allowing the airport to offer airlines and handlers a ready-made solution for complying with future environmental requirements.
How the New Electrified Infrastructure Works
At the heart of the upgrade are 12 electrified aircraft stands positioned in direct contact with the terminal. Each stand is equipped with embedded ground power units and preconditioned air systems that can connect directly to an aircraft when it arrives at the gate. Once the pilots set the parking brake and shut down the main engines, the aircraft can plug into the airport’s electrical network and switch off the auxiliary power unit entirely.
This seemingly simple change has a powerful effect. Keeping an auxiliary power unit running during a typical turnaround burns significant volumes of jet fuel, generates noise on the apron and produces carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions in close proximity to passengers and staff. By delivering grid electricity and centralised air conditioning through fixed connections, Nantes Atlantique removes the need for that fuel burn while maintaining safety and passenger comfort on board.
The airport has simultaneously reinforced its electrical backbone. A new high voltage delivery point and additional transformers have been installed to support the extra load from aircraft systems and a growing fleet of electric vehicles. The design ensures that the supply is stable and resilient, a crucial factor given that loss of power at the gate can quickly create operational bottlenecks during busy periods.
Beyond the stands themselves, the project includes a dense network of charging infrastructure spread across the apron. Light service vehicles, maintenance vans, catering trucks, baggage tugs, refuelling vehicles and passenger buses all now have access to charging points dedicated to their specific power needs. This integrated approach allows the airport to orchestrate a full transition of its ground operations ecosystem away from fossil fuels.
One Hundred Charging Points Powering a New Electric Fleet
A key pillar of the programme is the deployment of 100 additional charging points tailored to different categories of airside equipment. The smallest units, delivering around 7.4 kilowatts, serve light vehicles such as staff cars, maintenance vehicles and inspection fleets that move frequently around the airfield but require relatively modest power to recharge. Larger rapid chargers of up to 120 kilowatts have been installed for electric apron buses, which transport passengers between the terminal and aircraft on remote stands.
Intermediate charging systems and specialised sockets are dedicated to baggage tractors, belt loaders, tow bars, and refuelling trucks. Many of these vehicles have repetitive, predictable duty cycles that are well suited to electrification. They operate within a limited radius around the terminal or maintenance areas and can be opportunistically recharged between flights, during shift changes or overnight when electricity demand is lower.
The rollout of this charging network accelerates a transition already under way in Nantes. The airport has been progressively renewing its vehicle fleet, replacing internal combustion models with electric or hybrid alternatives. At least one third of the gas powered ground fleet has already been substituted, and the new charging capacity allows that renewal to expand to virtually all operational categories, from security patrol vehicles to heavy apron buses.
For passengers, many of these changes will be almost invisible. Yet the vehicles that shuttle them to remote aircraft, move their baggage to and from the holds, or refuel the aircraft they board are increasingly quiet and emission free at the point of use. The reduction in exhaust fumes and engine noise on the apron contributes to a calmer, more pleasant environment both inside and outside the terminal.
Transforming the Passenger Experience on the Ground
While ground electrification is often framed as a technical and environmental project, it also has significant implications for the end to end passenger experience, which remains a core focus for airports competing to retain and attract airlines and travellers. At Nantes Atlantique, the quiet hum of electric service vehicles is beginning to replace the rumble of diesel engines and the shrill whine of auxiliary power units, particularly at contact stands directly alongside the terminal building.
For passengers waiting at the gate, this translates into noticeably lower background noise levels, especially during boarding and disembarkation. Families with young children or travellers working on laptops in gate areas are less likely to be disturbed by the high pitched sound of auxiliary power units spinning nearby. The change is subtle but aligns with a broader push to soften the sensory impact of airports, which can otherwise be stressful environments.
The shift also improves air quality in the confined area between the terminal and the aircraft. Staff and passengers spend considerable time in this space, whether walking across the apron, boarding buses, or standing on mobile stairs. Eliminating or significantly reducing the use of kerosene burning auxiliary units and diesel generators cuts local pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, complementing the reduction in carbon emissions.
Onboard, passengers benefit from a seamless energy supply that supports lighting, air conditioning and onboard systems from the moment they step onto the aircraft. Rather than experiencing fluctuations in cabin temperature or brief interruptions while power sources are switched, the electrified stands provide a steady, centralised feed. For airlines, this reliability reduces the risk of delays linked to power issues or auxiliary unit malfunctions, indirectly supporting more punctual operations and smoother connections for travellers.
Anchoring Nantes in Europe’s Sustainable Aviation Map
The completion of the electrification project comes as Nantes Atlantique consolidates its position within Europe’s network of medium sized airports. The airport connects the Atlantic metropolis to more than 50 destinations, including major hubs and leisure markets across Europe and North Africa. Airlines ranging from low cost carriers to regional and holiday specialists rely on the airport’s infrastructure to deliver frequent services for both business and leisure travellers.
By investing early in ground decarbonisation, Nantes Atlantique is seeking to stand out to carriers that are under growing pressure to demonstrate progress on their own climate roadmaps. Scope 3 emissions, which include ground operations performed by airports and handlers on behalf of airlines, are increasingly scrutinised by regulators, investors and passengers. Airports that can offer plug in power and extensive electric ground support capacity effectively help airlines lower these reported emissions without waiting for new aircraft technologies.
The project also reinforces Vinci Airports’ broader strategy to achieve net zero emissions across its European and British network by 2030. Nantes Atlantique has already secured Level 4 Transformation accreditation under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, reflecting deep cuts in its direct emissions through measures such as LED lighting, renewable electricity contracts and energy efficiency initiatives. The new ground infrastructure extends this momentum to the wider ecosystem of stakeholders operating airside.
In turn, this enhances the image of Nantes and the surrounding Pays de la Loire region as a destination that takes sustainability seriously. For tourism boards, local authorities and businesses seeking to host international visitors or conferences, the existence of a forward looking, lower carbon airport becomes an increasingly important selling point. Travellers who weigh the environmental performance of their itineraries may view flights via Nantes more favourably as such initiatives become better known.
Regulation, Funding and Europe’s Push for APU Off Operations
Nantes Atlantique’s 15 million euro investment does not occur in isolation. It is part of a wider European policy framework designed to make auxiliary power units the exception rather than the rule at airports. Regulations governing alternative fuel infrastructure require that electricity be available to parked aircraft at all contact gates by the middle of this decade, with a second phase targeting remote stands in the years that follow.
To support this shift, European institutions have channelled funding into projects that demonstrate how airports can deliver reliable electrical power across their apron areas. Nantes Atlantique has benefited from a substantial grant of nearly 4.5 million euros, cushioning the cost for the concessionaire and accelerating deployment. Similar support has been allocated to other Vinci operated airports, including Lisbon and Lyon, as part of a broader programme that will see 200 million euros invested in auxiliary power unit off equipment by 2026.
The rationale is straightforward. Auxiliary power units consume kerosene and emit greenhouse gases and pollutants without contributing to the essential act of flying passengers from point A to point B. By replacing them with electric power sourced from an increasingly decarbonised grid, regulators can target tangible emissions reductions using mature, readily deployable technologies. The relatively short timeline for compliance reflects the urgency with which governments and industry are now approaching climate targets.
Nantes Atlantique’s project offers a concrete example of how this policy can be translated into infrastructure on the ground. Its mix of stand electrification, high capacity charging and reinforced grid connections provides a blueprint that other regional airports can adapt. As more facilities replicate similar systems, the cumulative effect across the continent’s aviation network could be substantial, cutting millions of tonnes of emissions associated with aircraft on the ground.
Looking Ahead: From Ground Emissions to the Wider Travel Ecosystem
While the new infrastructure at Nantes Atlantique primarily targets ground emissions, it forms part of a wider reimagining of how airports interface with their regions and with global travel flows. The airport is already working to push its direct emissions down by at least 90 percent by 2030 compared with pre pandemic baselines, using a mix of efficiency gains, renewable energy and electrification. Ground operations electrification strengthens the foundation for that transition and makes it easier to integrate future technologies such as onsite solar generation, smart charging and energy storage.
For passengers, the effects of these changes will continue to accumulate, even if they are not always consciously noticed. Quieter aprons, cleaner air around boarding gates, more punctual operations and closer alignment with the environmental expectations of travellers gradually transform the character of a journey. In the longer term, airports that have modern, efficient electrical infrastructure will also be better placed to support future innovations, from electric or hybrid aircraft to hydrogen handling facilities, should these technologies mature at scale.
The Nantes region stands to benefit from these developments through enhanced connectivity that does not come at the expense of local environmental quality. As the aviation industry grapples with the challenge of aligning growth in demand with the imperative to cut emissions, examples such as Nantes Atlantique show that tangible progress is possible today by targeting the ground segment of operations. It does not solve the entire climate equation for aviation, but it marks a significant, replicable step.
For now, travellers passing through Nantes may simply notice a quieter gate area, a smoother boarding experience or the growing presence of sleek electric vehicles moving about the apron. Behind the scenes, however, a 15 million euro investment in electrified infrastructure is working continuously to reduce the environmental footprint of every flight that touches down or takes off, signalling a new chapter in how regional airports can transform travel for passengers while supporting the planet.