San Francisco International Airport facility first in the world to have Zero Net Energy

Friday, April 19, 2019

The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Airfield Operations Facility has been certified as Zero Net Energy (ZNE) by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). It is the world’s first facility at an airport to have net energy zero.

Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) recognized SFO with its Environmental Achievement Award at the Airports @ Work conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. ACI-NA represents governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports across the United States and Canada.

SFO received the award in the Environmental Management Category for its Airfield Operations Facility, which was recently certified as a Zero Net Energy facility by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).

Over the past year, the facility generated more electricity than it consumed, as it uses a rooftop solar array which generates 136 kilowatts of energy. The Airfield Operations Facility was actually a net power producer, sending unneeded energy back into the grid. It runs off 100 per cent carbon-free electricity and uses zero fossil fuels for the operation of the building.

Future SFO facilities are designed to meet strict energy efficiency targets, and to include solar where feasible, to further advance the campus wide Zero Net Energy goal. This is the third ACI-NA award that SFO has received for its environmental leadership.

In 2017, SFO set a goal to achieve zero waste going to landfill, carbon neutrality, and Zero Net Energy across its entire airport campus. SFO, since then, has reduced its use of electricity by over 4 million kilowatt hours, saving enough energy to power over 600 homes, and added over 1 megawatt of solar energy across the airport.

In 2016, SFO was awarded Level 3 Airport Carbon Accreditation by ACI-NA.

San Francisco International Airport Director Ivar C. Satero said that “This represents a major milestone in our environmental efforts, and we are honored to be recognized by Airports Council International – North America for this achievement.”

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