Category: April 2025

Edmonton to test hydrogen duel-fuel in snow sweepers

Edmonton Airport hydrogen dual fuel snow sweeper resizedEdmonton International Airport and Diesel Tech Industries (DTI) will explore the integration of the Guardian Hydrogen Diesel System into two of the airport’s heavy-duty runway snow sweepers.

Edmonton will be the first Canadian airport to explore adopting DTI’s hydrogen and diesel technology into runway snow sweepers.

Funding is being provided by Alberta Innovates to reduce the airport’s carbon emissions from ground operations, advance hydrogen adoption and support global aviation in becoming more sustainable.

The runway snow sweepers will be retrofitted with the Guardian Hydrogen Diesel System, which gives Tier 3 diesel engines the option to use hydrogen as a supplementary fuel while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions without extensive infrastructure modifications.

The project will address the unique challenges of higher-emission Tier 3 engines including more demanding, high-load operational cycle and the complexity of the dual-engine configuration.

The conversions will begin this spring and take around one year to complete.

Peter Agnew, Vice President Infrastructure, Facilities & Airside at Edmonton International Airport, said: “Reducing emissions from airport ground fleets, especially runway snow sweepers that are designed to operate in demanding winter climates, is a crucial step toward sustainability. Hydrogen/diesel dual-fuel technology offers an innovative pathway to decarbonisation, and we are excited to continue to showcase the practical benefits of hydrogen at YEG.”

Rebecca Goldsack, COO of Diesel Tech Industries, added: “Airports are vital transportation hubs that operate internationally, making this project a significant demonstration of hydrogen’s potential in high-demand environments. The success of this initiative will showcase how hydrogen can transform off-road operations worldwide, proving that sustainability and efficiency can go hand in hand on or off-road.”

Air Canada to go fully electric in Quebec City

Air Canada to use eGSE in Quebec City resizedAir Canada will make Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport its first station to operate a 100% electric GSE fleet by the end of the year.

At the Quebec City (YQB) station, Air Canada will complete its transition away from fossil fuel-powered equipment to electric alternatives for baggage and ramp tractors, belt loaders, power stows, container loaders and aircraft tractors.

The announcement coincided with the start of Earth Month.

Switching to eGSE is a mid-term step towards the long-term goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Using 2019 as a baseline, Air Canada aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions from air operations by 20% and 30% from ground operations by 2030.

Michael Rousseau, President and CEO of Air Canada, said: “The focus of Earth Month 2025 is renewable energy and with Quebec’s renewable hydroelectric power, it is fitting that the city of Quebec is our first fully electric capable station. This project demonstrates the successful collaboration between Air Canada and the YQB airport authority in developing the necessary charging infrastructure to support the transition to a zero direct emission eGSE fleet powered by Quebec’s renewable energy grid.”

Stephane Poirier, President and CEO of the airport, added: “This project was made possible thanks to close collaboration between our teams, and is perfectly in line with our commitment to reduce the environmental footprint of our operations, as well as to provide the support and tools necessary for our airline partners to achieve their GHG reduction objectives. We are proud that YQB is the first Air Canada station to take this important step towards environmental sustainability.”

Air Canada has been retiring older fossil fuel-powered GSE in favour of eGSE and it has over 900 pieces of eGSE equipment, representing 35% of its GSE fleet.

Some operations still require fossil fuel-powered GSE so Air Canada will work with manufacturers to evaluate new technologies, says the airline.