Denver International Airport receives $300K in federal funding for electrification plan

Denver International Airport (DEN) has been awarded $300,000 in federal funding for an Electrification Master Plan.

Denver International Airport (DEN) has been awarded $300,000 in federal funding for an Electrification Master Plan to help reduce airport emissions through increased use of cleaner energy. This funding is part of a nearly $130 million package for various Colorado-based projects included in the federal funding bills for fiscal year 2024.

Denver International Airport’s electrification plan

“Our Electrification Master Plan underscores our Vision 100 commitment to become the greenest airport in the world as we grow to 100 million annual passengers. This federal funding will allow DEN to increase our electrical capacity while maintaining high levels of reliability and resiliency,” said DEN CEO Phil Washington. “Electrification represents one of the most critical decarbonisation pathways available, which will replace emissions associated with facilities and vehicles with clean electricity. This is particularly important at airports, considering their size and the number of unique fossil fuel use cases requiring electrification.”

The federal funding will help DEN complete a study of how to build an inventory of available electrical capacity across its 53-square mile campus, develop projections for future electrical demand by use and location, and create a roadmap and action plan to ensure that electrical power is available when and where it is needed.

“As Colorado’s largest economic engine, it is imperative that DEN leads and models the transition to cleaner power supplies,” continued Washington. “This project will serve as a model for proactive utility planning for Colorado and throughout the aviation industry while also leading to reductions in DEN’s own emissions. We’re grateful to Colorado’s congressional delegation for their efforts in securing these funds.”