GHG Emissions  -  March 28, 2022

Massport Sets 2031 Goal

The Massachusetts Port Authority unveiled a new agenda to reduce carbon emissions across all facilities and become net zero by 2031.

 This strategy focuses on the GHG emissions directly controlled by Massport-owned facilities, equipment, and purchased electricity with continued influence in areas the Authority does not control. 

 “Massport is committed to working with our surrounding communities to reduce our impacts on the environment, while remaining focused on supporting the region’s economy,” said Massport Board Chairman Lew Evangelidis in a statement. “Massport’s Roadmap to Net Zero aligns with the Commonwealth’s climate goals.”

Massport will accomplish this by:

• Improving energy efficiency in buildings through design standards and operational controls;
• Transitioning to clean fuel sources such as renewable electricity and natural gas;
• Generating as much renewable energy as possible on-site, and make off-site renewable energy purchases;
• Acquiring renewable energy credits, renewable identification numbers, and carbon offsets as a transition strategy, for the fossil fuel sources that cannot be reduced, electrified or switched to renewable energy in the near-term; and
• Implementing all remaining facility-specific initiatives identified to ultimately reach net zero.

For any areas where emissions cannot be reduced to zero, Massport will invest in carbon offsets to reach the target. The Authority expects to be net zero without offsets by 2040.

Components of the phased plan controlled by Massport include upgrading lighting systems across all facilities to LEDs (which has already been started), rehabilitating Logan Airport’s Central Heating Plant, upgrading the Logan Express and shuttle bus fleet to electric vehicles, and installing more solar panels and renewable energy sources.

There is also a section of the plan including emissions that Massport does not control, but can possibly influence such as enabling the use of SAF at Logan. The Biden administration announced a goal for U.S. companies to produce at least 3 billion gallons of SAF per year by 2030 and by 2050, sufficient SAF to meet 100% of aviation fuel demand. Massport will work to enable use of SAF at our three airports and encourage our airline partners to transition to this alternative fuel while longer-term strategies are evaluated, approved, and adopted.