Wellington Airport is hoping to be a world leader in the adoption of electric planes.
Matt Clarke, the airport’s chief executive, is excited about the latest developments in sustainable aviation – including a 30-seater design from Swedish company Heart Aerospace, which could be used for the “next step up” from short hop flights across the Cook Strait.
The capital would “without a doubt” have 100% carbon-neutral short-haul flights by 2040, Clarke said.
He compares electric planes now to the electric car about 15 years ago, when people were surprised to see a Prius on the street.
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“Back then it was a weird, novel thing … we’re at a similar turning point in the industry.”
Functional electric planes were coming much sooner than people realised and were a key focus for the industry, Clarke said. The 19-seater planes that Sounds Air would use from Blenheim to Wellington would arrive in 2026 and the Sounds Air fleet could be totally electric by 2030.
The ES-30 – a 30-seater plane being developed by Heart Aerospace – would be the “next step up” and was the biggest electric plane currently in development, Clarke said. It is likely to be completing test flights in 2028.
Heart Aerospace/Supplied
The ES-30, a 30-seater plane, is the largest electric plane in development at the moment.
Wellington Airport, Sounds Air, Christchurch Airport, and Air New Zealand are all on the Industry Advisory Board for the development of the larger plane.
New Zealand’s reliance on short flights provides the perfect environment for electric planes, which are limited in terms of flight duration. Clarke saw this as a great opportunity for Wellington, positioned in the centre of the country.
“We are almost uniquely positioned in the world, because of the Cook Strait there’s a massive flying market, but on really short sector flights.”
At a presentation on the ES-30 plane by Heart Aerospace earlier in the year, Wellington was used as the presentation backdrop, he said.
“We have the natural advantages to be the poster child of the whole movement. It will be good for the whole country.”
SUPPLIED
Matt Clarke says electric planes will be here sooner than people realise.
Wellington is being looked at as a location to test high volumes of electric planes in a place where there isn’t the same competition from trains and ferries.
The eyes of the whole industry would be on whether it worked out, Clarke said. “It’s important for everyone else, connectivity is key to how the world works.”
Wellington was also giving feedback the technical group investigating the best way to charge the plane and what kind of infrastructure would be required.
The real problem was finding a sustainable way to travel long distances, Clarke said. And even then, moving to sustainable aviation jet fuels and hydrogen fuels were a focus for the industry.
Heart Aerospace/Supplied
Wellington Airport is on the Industry Advisory Board for Heart Aerospace, which is developing electric planes.
A team from the airport visited the Boeing factory earlier in the year and “the brightest minds in the world are sitting in rooms trying to solve this problem”.
“I’ve got a lot of faith that they’ll find a way to do it.”
The aviation industry had to become more sustainable to survive, Clarke said.
“Everyone is working on it and the change is really happening. The actions should prove the intent.”
For Wellington, he views the electric plane as an opportunity.
“We have a really great chance to be the first scheduled service for completely carbon-neutral flights. That’s what I’ve got my eye on, we want to cut that ribbon.”
The airport’s “2040 vision” – which will cost several billion dollars, include a doubling of passengers to 12 million a year, the number of daily flights increasing from 250 to 375, and an increased land footprint to the east – has attracted much criticism over its impact on the environment.
Clarke defending the plan, saying the airport had committed to a 30% reduction in emitting activity by 2030.
“The Climate Change Commission recognises that aviation is so vital to New Zealand, because of its geography, that [it recommends] the way to address aviation emissions is not to limit the use of aviation, but to work to introduce new technology.”
