Hyderabad Airport Earns Top-Level ACA 5 Carbon Accreditation

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), which operates Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), has attained Level 5 accreditation in the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme of Airports Council International (ACI), the highest recognition for carbon management at airports.

RGIA joins an elite group of four airports in the ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East region to achieve this distinction. The certification underlines the airport’s success in maintaining net zero carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions for Scope 1 and 2 categories and in advancing toward net zero Scope 3 emissions by or before 2050.

The ACA programme, implemented by ACI, assesses airports on their carbon reduction strategies through a tiered system, from Level 1 (Mapping) to Level 5 (the highest), which denotes Net Zero CO2e for direct emissions and robust collaboration with stakeholders to address indirect emissions.

SGK Kishore, Executive Director & Chief Innovation Officer, GMR Airports, and President of ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, stated that Hyderabad Airport is committed to sustaining its Scope 1 and 2 net zero emissions and is working with partners to achieve Scope 3 net zero targets, in alignment with the Paris Agreement goals.

Stefano Baronci, Director General of ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, highlighted Hyderabad Airport's role in promoting sustainable aviation practices. He emphasized that Indian airports, including RGIA, are demonstrating leadership in environmental responsibility, and such efforts can guide the region towards a greener future.

Key carbon management initiatives at RGIA include:

Scope 1 (Direct emissions):

- Adoption of electric vehicles and biofuels

- Establishment of EV charging stations

- Use of low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants

Scope 2 (Energy-related emissions):

- 100 per cent reliance on renewable energy sources, including a 10 MWp on-site solar plant

- Use of energy-efficient lighting, HVAC systems, and other operational upgrades

Scope 3 (Third-party emissions):

- Coordination with airlines and service providers to reduce emissions

- Use of electric Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and single-engine taxiing

- Provision of pre-conditioned air at aircraft stands

- Exploration of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) usage

Additional measures include:

- Construction of green-certified buildings like the LEED-rated terminal

- Development of a greenbelt area absorbing around 700 tons of CO2 annually

- Transition to solar-powered ground transport

- Use of smart energy systems and compliance with ISO 50001:2018

Since its inception in 2011, the ACA framework has been the global benchmark for carbon emissions management at airports, with Level 5 signifying the highest standard of achievement.