Airport Green Futures

How can East Midlands Airport decarbonise?

A new report from the University of Nottingham’s Energy Institute highlights both the challenges and opportunities of achieving net zero within the East Midlands Airport (EMA) ecosystem. The study, conducted in partnership with EPRI, forms part of the wider Airport Green Futures initiative, exploring how aviation, freight, and ground transport can transition to low-carbon energy.

A local transport hub

East Midlands Airport is the UK’s busiest pure cargo airport and second only to Heathrow for total freight, handling over 370,000 tonnes of goods each year. It also serves more than four million passengers annually across 80 destinations. With 6,000 jobs and a £300 million contribution to the regional economy, EMA is a vital hub — making its decarbonisation an issue of both environmental and economic importance.

A dual approach

he report combines technical analysis with social science research. On one side, engineers modelled future energy usage scenarios for passenger and freight growth, exploring the role of hydrogen and electrification. On the other, social scientists engaged stakeholders — from transport and energy providers to local government — to map barriers, enablers, and competing priorities. This dual perspective ensures that decarbonisation strategies reflect both technical feasibility and real-world decision-making.

Hydrogen and electrification

One key focus of the study is the integration of hydrogen alongside electrification. Hydrogen has the potential to support heavy transport and freight operations where batteries alone may not be practical, while electrification can help decarbonise passenger journeys and airport ground operations. Together, these technologies offer complementary pathways toward the UK’s Net Zero strategy.

Stakeholder insights

Through interviews, focus groups, and innovative methods such as Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping, the study captured how different actors in the airport ecosystem view the transition. This revealed both enthusiasm for green technologies and concerns over cost, infrastructure readiness, and the timing of adoption. Aligning these perspectives is essential if policy, infrastructure, and investment decisions are to move at the pace required.

Strategic recommendations

The report concludes with 17 recommendations. These include integrating hydrogen supply with existing regional clusters, exploring local production and storage options, attracting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production to the region, and positioning EMA as a “super hub” for low-carbon aviation and freight. The findings underline that achieving net zero requires coordinated action across energy systems, transport networks, and policy frameworks.

Beyond the East Midlands

While rooted in a local context, the study offers lessons for airports worldwide. By combining engineering research with stakeholder analysis, it sets out a replicable model for decarbonising transport hubs that are both energy-intensive and economically vital. As Professor David Grant, Director of the Energy Institute, notes, “We have to adopt even bigger step changes in conversion, storage, and utilisation of green energy if we are to meet net zero targets.”

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How can CNR help?

Studies like this show the scale of engineering innovation needed to support the transition to net zero. At CNR, we can facilitate design support for projects exploring hydrogen, electrification, and other green technologies. From developing test rigs and prototypes to detailed design, analysis, and engineering solutions, our expertise can help turn research insights into practical, workable outcomes for real-world applications.