Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) will switch to electric-powered ground service equipment at Terminal 5 in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the region.
The New York Power Authority (NYPA), in partnership with JetBlue, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has completed the installation of 38 charging hubs at the terminal, which is operated by JetBlue. The airside electrification of the JetBlue terminal is the first Federal Aviation Administration Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program (VALE) grant project of its kind at JFK.
The charging hubs support JetBlue in the conversion of its fleet of 118 baggage tugs and belt loaders to electric power. According to Governor Cuomo, converting the ground support equipment at Terminal 5 from gasoline to electric power will remove four million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere annually. Additionally, it will reduce ground fuel usage by 200,000 gallons of fuel a year, improving energy efficiency and decreasing air and noise pollution.
The project follows the announcement made in 2017 by Governor Cuomo, that the Port Authority and JetBlue had secured $4 million in funding from VALE to reduce emissions at JFK. The VALE grant, the Port Authority's first, accounts for 75 percent of the total $5.3 million cost of the charging hubs. NYPA implemented the project and provided $200,000 in funding, with JetBlue providing an additional $1.1 million.
The Governor's JFK Vision Plan aims to transform JFK into a world-class transit hub by incorporating modern technological innovations and passenger amenities, including a unified terminal layout, modernized on-airport infrastructure, and improved roadways, taxiways and AirTrain JFK system. In doing so, Governor Cuomo states that gate and roadway congestion will be reduced, leading to improved air quality across the region. Additionally, the airport will be able to accommodate an increase of 15 million passengers per year as a result of these upgrades.
For more information, visit www.governor.ny.gov.
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