Latest news with #AeroportidiRoma
The Independent
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Retired Nissan Leaf batteries are ending up somewhere weird
Ever wondered where Nissan Leaf batteries go when nobody wants them any more? We didn't think so, but it turns out an Italian airport has the answer. Nissan is partnering with Aeroporti di Roma's Fiumicino Airport, Italy's largest transport hub, to give retired Nissan Leaf batteries a new purpose in life. The batteries will form part of the airport's new battery energy storage system in an ambitious net zero project to provide clean, reliable power to terminals by 2030. Nissan's reconditioned Leaf batteries will provide 2.1MWh of capacity to the 10MWh battery system. Coupled with 55,000 solar panels, the setup is due to generate 31GWh of electricity to the airport every year. As well as helping to keep the departure boards lit, Nissan says the initiative demonstrates the potential for 'end of life' EV technology to be recycled in innovative new ways. Recycling electric vehicle batteries is notoriously difficult, and driven mostly by the demand for the rare metals – like lithium, nickel and cobalt – that go into their construction. Nissan supplied a total of 84 used 30kWh and 40kWh batteries to the airport's battery energy storage system, sourced from high-mileage Leaf EVs and warranty returns. Each battery has been refurbished and requalified to ensure their safety and performance, and Nissan predicts they'll be operational for 6-7 years with daily use. Soufiane El Khomri, energy director at Nissan, says, 'This project not only demonstrates the long-term viability of repurposed EV batteries in demanding environments, but underscores Nissan's commitment to sustainable end-of-life battery management. 'Our team is involved in the technical integration of second-life batteries into the [energy storage system], the simulation of battery lifespan, and providing warranties for their performance in the new system. Just as importantly, once the batteries reach the end of their useful life on this project, we take full responsibility for their recycling.' This isn't the first collaboration between Nissan and European energy providers. A similar battery storage project is already in operation in Melilla, Spain, where electric vehicle batteries are used as a critical backup for a power plant. 'We are turning potential waste into valuable energy assets,' El Khomri added. 'Our re-use strategy not only supports large-scale industrial projects such as Aeorporti di Roma's Fiumicino Airport, but also shows potential for use in the home such as backup during power cuts.' 'As we continue to scale battery reuse and recycling, we are advancing our broader mission toward a cleaner, more energy-efficient future.'
Travel Daily News
26-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
A4I announces the winners of the first joint call for startup
A4I announces the winning startups, which will validate their solutions in real airports environments across several international hubs in the coming months. For the first time in the aviation industry, ten leading airport operators worldwide have joined forces in Airports for Innovation (A4I), to promote collaboration and innovation and share technological initiatives and digital solutions. A4I's ten driving companies are: Aeroporti di Roma, Aena, Athens International Airport, Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Munich Airport, Dubai Airports, Oman Airports, and Narita International Airport. A4I's first initiative was launching a joint call for startups between September 12, and October 28th, 2024. We wanted to identify new disruptive solutions that could be validated and implemented across our international hubs and eventually be proposed as new benchmarks for the entire industry. The call was open to startups from anywhere in the world. Their innovative proposals had to provide added value in any of the four challenges defined: Challenge 1: Seamless Travel Experience: creating a frictionless, efficient, and highly customer-centric travel experience, from booking a flight to arrival at the final destination. at the final destination. Challenge 2: Sustainable Aviation: make airports even more sustainable and reduce their environmental impact. Challenge 3: Smart Luggage Revolution: develop luggage solutions that go beyond technological advances, to improve convenience, security, and sustainability for travelers. Challenge 4: AI-Powered Airports: enhance operational efficiency, passenger experience, and overall aviation management with Artificial Intelligence applications. The response from the global startup ecosystem was extraordinary: 292 inspiring proposals were submitted by 283 startups from 36 different countries. All applications received were thoroughly evaluated, and the 25 most promising startups were selected as finalists. These startups presented their proposals to all A4I members during the Pitch Days, which took place on January 27th, 28th, and 29th. A4I announces now the winners of the first joint call. These startups will carry out pilot projects in the coming months with the airports that have opted for them. The pilots will provide useful metrics and learnings to validate the startups' solutions in real airport environments and assess their scalability for future implementation. This is the complete list of winners: Challenge 1: Seamless Travel Experience GoodMaps. An indoor navigation platform that uses LiDAR scans and patented computer vision positioning technology, to create detailed and accessible digital maps customizable navigation experiences, available via an app that offers audio, visual and haptic instructions. Challenge 2: Sustainable Aviation Janta Power is a cleantech energy company pioneering the world's first scalable 3D solar technology. Janta's patented system generates up to 3x more power on the same land and delivers ~50% more daily energy than traditional solar. Designed for industrial, commercial, and utility-scale use, it helps solve land scarcity, reduce energy costs, and accelerate the global transition to clean power Challenge 3: Smart Luggage Revolution Pattern. Bringing harmony to airport logistics through robotics and data infrastructure to streamline baggage and ground operations. From planning and forecasting to live operations, autonomous shuttles, and teleoperated robotics, Pattern offers modular solutions tailored to each airport's automation journey. Challenge 4: AI-Powered Airports A weather intelligence platform providing precise weather forecasting to help airports manage operations through proprietary spacebased observations, advanced AI-driven models, and a robust data infrastructure. Ultralytics is the leading force in vision AI, best known for its revolutionary YOLO (You Only Look Once) models. With over 100K GitHub stars, 85 million Pip downloads, 5 Million monthly visits, 1B images analyzed per day, and 4 Million models trained per day, Ultralytics YOLOv5, YOLOv8, and now YOLO11 have become the most widely recognized object detection models globally. Ultralytics empowers users with easy-to-use, cutting-edge AI technology. Our mission is to simplify the use of AI, making it accessible and impactful across industries ranging from manufacturing to healthcare and more. The kick-off event, that took place on May 22nd, has been the starting point of the pilot projects. This act marked the beginning of a strategic collaboration between A4I embers and the selected startups. Over the next few months, these real airport environment tests will assess the impact and scalability of the solutions, aiming to redefine industry standards and establish a new era of innovation in the aviation sector.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Airport makes game-changing decision about an unusual piece of its property: 'A perfect example'
Rome's Fiumicino Airport is setting a new global standard for sustainability with its exciting move to begin harnessing solar power. In this groundbreaking project, led by energy group Enel and network service provider Circet, the airport has revealed its large-scale solar farm, aimed to significantly reduce its carbon impact, according to Reuters. The farm spans nearly 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) across the airport's eastern perimeter. This makes it not only the largest solar-powered system within a European airport but also one of the largest in the entire world. This is part of a €200 million ($208.5 million) initiative by Aeroporti di Roma to increase the country's investment in sustainable mobility. Currently, it has a peak capacity of 22 megawatts, but the airport has a plan to increase this number all the way to 60 megawatts in the next five years. The ambition doesn't stop there, either. The overarching goal is to make the pollution of both Rome's airports net zero by 2030, meaning the aim is to remove the same amount of pollution they are putting into the air, according to the Energy Institute. Fiumicino's project is centered around the potential of repurposing underutilized land to support clean energy goals. According to Reuters, Mundys (Aeroporti di Roma's parent company) chairman Giampiero Massolo said the project is "a perfect example of how airport grounds can be optimized to enable sustainable growth." The benefits of this solar farm spread far beyond Fiumicino. By reducing pollution by over 11,000 tons annually, this project sets a precedent for airports worldwide. This move reflects a growing trend of sustainable airport policies. For instance, Australia's Brisbane Airport has begun its $5 billion dedication to sustainability through its "Ground Service Electrification" project, and Dubai is at work installing the world's largest rooftop solar system at its Dubai International and Dubai World Central airports. These initiatives all serve as evidence of the aviation industry's push toward eco-friendly practices, which will ultimately lead to healthier air to breathe across the world. Which of these factors would be your main motivation for installing solar panels? Energy independence Lower power bills Helping the planet No chance I ever go solar Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Energy minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin expressed his positive outlook for these overlooked spaces' potential for renewable energy. "This is a demonstration of how we can use many areas that do not have monumental value or high agricultural intensity to achieve the goal of decarbonisation," he said, according to Reuters. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Airport makes game-changing decision about an unusual piece of its property: 'A perfect example'
Rome's Fiumicino Airport is setting a new global standard for sustainability with its exciting move to begin harnessing solar power. In this groundbreaking project, led by energy group Enel and network service provider Circet, the airport has revealed its large-scale solar farm, aimed to significantly reduce its carbon impact, according to Reuters. The farm spans nearly 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) across the airport's eastern perimeter. This makes it not only the largest solar-powered system within a European airport but also one of the largest in the entire world. This is part of a €200 million ($208.5 million) initiative by Aeroporti di Roma to increase the country's investment in sustainable mobility. Currently, it has a peak capacity of 22 megawatts, but the airport has a plan to increase this number all the way to 60 megawatts in the next five years. The ambition doesn't stop there, either. The overarching goal is to make the pollution of both Rome's airports net zero by 2030, meaning the aim is to remove the same amount of pollution they are putting into the air, according to the Energy Institute. Fiumicino's project is centered around the potential of repurposing underutilized land to support clean energy goals. According to Reuters, Mundys (Aeroporti di Roma's parent company) chairman Giampiero Massolo said the project is "a perfect example of how airport grounds can be optimized to enable sustainable growth." The benefits of this solar farm spread far beyond Fiumicino. By reducing pollution by over 11,000 tons annually, this project sets a precedent for airports worldwide. This move reflects a growing trend of sustainable airport policies. For instance, Australia's Brisbane Airport has begun its $5 billion dedication to sustainability through its "Ground Service Electrification" project, and Dubai is at work installing the world's largest rooftop solar system at its Dubai International and Dubai World Central airports. These initiatives all serve as evidence of the aviation industry's push toward eco-friendly practices, which will ultimately lead to healthier air to breathe across the world. Which of these factors would be your main motivation for installing solar panels? Energy independence Lower power bills Helping the planet No chance I ever go solar Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Energy minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin expressed his positive outlook for these overlooked spaces' potential for renewable energy. "This is a demonstration of how we can use many areas that do not have monumental value or high agricultural intensity to achieve the goal of decarbonisation," he said, according to Reuters. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
