Bristol Airport Plans £10m Energy Centre as It Seeks Flight Expansion

Bristol Airport is installing giant heat pumps, electric vehicles, solar panels and new fuel-efficient planes as it targets carbon neutrality by 2030, according to BBC. The airport says the plan covers emissions from the site itself, not flights, while campaigners argue aviation is the real problem and have urged councillors to reject expansion. The airport has applied to increase passenger numbers from 12 million to 15 million a year and wants to raise its flight cap by 15,000 to 100,000 annual flights. Dave Lees, the chief executive, said Bristol would be the first airport to be net zero by 2030, but acknowledged that does not include flight emissions. BBC reported that Bristol Airport's direct emissions in 2024 were 3,680 tonnes of CO2, versus 682,167 tonnes from indirect emissions including flights.