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The two airports collectively service more than eight million passenger journeys a year with CS Energy CEO, Darren Busine, saying the agreement to switch to 100 percent renewable energy marks a significant moment for sustainable tourism and the Australian aviation industry.
“Our customers energy needs have evolved, and our business is evolving with them,” he said. “As our customers work towards meeting their decarbonisation goals and navigating the energy transition, companies like ours have to be responsive to their changing needs and be able to provide new innovations, new products and new technologies to support them.”
With the two regional hubs set for major expansions to support their anticipated passenger growth in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the move to renewable energy, which is part of a seven-year agreement, is part of their master plans.
Annual passenger traffic at both airports is set to double to 16 million by 2044 with QAL CEO Amelia Evans saying the collaboration with CS Energy demonstrates the airport operators commitment to decarbonising its operations while continuing to support increased connectivity, tourism and trade.
Referencing how the airports operate in the natural landscape of their regions, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Cobaki environmental precinct, Evans said: “We are looking to be environmental stewards in the regions that we serve and this includes what we do to preserve our natural environment on a day-to-day basis.
“From January 1 2025 we will be using green power across all our Gold Coast and Townsville airport operations including air conditioning, lighting, baggage carousels and way finding.”
Image source: Gold Coast Airport, Queensland Airports