More and more companies want to do something about sustainability, and aviation is also working on this. Groningen airport Eelde has started the innovation and sustainability initiative NXT Airport. This project starts Groningen Airport Eelde with partners such as New Energy Coalition, Holthausen, Saab, PEN EM, KLM Flight Academy, Dronehub GAE and NHL-Stenden Hogeschool. Within this project, they will work together to make aviation more sustainable. Last year, 63.196 solar panels were installed on a solar park at the airport. This is an important step in the greening of the airport.

Meiltje de Groot, director of Groningen Airport Eelde: “It is clear that aviation and airports must innovate and become more sustainable. We will play an active role in this. Groningen Airport Eelde is a regional and flexible airport, which means there is room for research and testing. For example, NXT Airport can play an important role when it comes to innovations in hydrogen applications. That fits in well with the hydrogen ambitions of the Northern Netherlands''. 

Because this airport is the only Dutch airport with an exemption for flying with drones, there are opportunities here in the field of integration between manned and unmanned aircraft. Also is Groningen Airport a logical place in terms of electric flying, because here electric flying is used for training flights. The KLM Flight Academy is also located at this airport.

Jan Terlouw (Country Manager of Saab): “At Groningen Airport Eelde, we started a major project in the field of remote-controlled cargo aircraft led by the Netherlands Aircraft Company. Together with the LVNL, we are also working on remotely controlled air traffic control, the introduction of which in the Netherlands is also taking place at Groningen Airport Eelde.”

Meiltje de Groot: “With NXT Airport we want to function as a testing ground, precisely within the themes that fit well with our region and our airport. We would also like to invite other (regional) partners from the business community, educational institutions and governments to join NXT Airport in order to jointly take steps towards sustainable aviation.”

Also read: Groningen Airport Eelde growth of flight movements in 2020

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