Powering change: How daa is accelerating decarbonisation at our airports

At daa, we are taking action to reduce the impact of our operations and support the transition to a more sustainable aviation sector across our airports. We are reshaping how energy is generated, used and managed by investing in solar power, electrification and alternative fuel and energy options such as geothermal and wind energy. These efforts are cutting emissions while building a more resilient, future-ready energy system and supporting progress towards net zero 2050.

daa is a global airport and travel retail group, present in 13 countries. We own and operate Dublin and Cork airports and provide retail and consultancy services through ARI and daa International, operating across diverse locations, including Asia, the US and the Middle East. This brings both opportunities and challenges.

Against this backdrop, we have set ambitious decarbonisation targets for our group, related to direct and indirect emissions, validated under the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). Our commitments are also detailed in our ESG Strategy to 2030. We are making measurable progress through initiatives that reduce our direct emissions, recognised under the Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme (ACA). Dublin Airport recently achieving ACA Level 4+, putting us in the top 13% of airports in this scheme globally.

Our direct emissions are reported under the SEAI Public Sector M&R scheme. In 2025, Dublin Airport achieved a 44%* carbon emissions reduction and Cork Airport achieved a 52%* reduction. At Dublin Airport, these reductions were driven by a 9 MW photovoltaic solar farm, which supplies 12% of the campus electricity in addition to the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in the heavy fleet and some heating systems replacing diesel. Phase 2 of the Dublin Airport solar farm will go for planning permission during Summer 2026 and will expand onsite renewable electricity generation, bringing the generation to 30%. These scope 1 and 2 reductions were achieved despite passenger growth, demonstrating that decarbonisation is possible with sustained focus, significant investment and strong commitment. Reductions at Cork Airport were driven by the expansion of the electric vehicle fleet, water pump upgrades and installation of an upgraded Air Handling Unit (AHU) as part of a trial project. At the Red Sea International Airport (RSI) in Saudi Arabia, 72% of electricity was generated by solar power in 2025. RSI is now on track to being fully powered by renewable energy in 2026.

Since 2024, we have partnered with the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) to complete extensive geothermal investigations at Dublin and Cork airports, confirming strong potential for geothermal energy. Explorations averaged 200m in depth, with drilling at Cork exceeding 1,000m, a groundbreaking for Irish geothermal investigations. Unlike intermittent renewable energy sources, geothermal energy provides a consistent baseload supply, making it particularly suited to airports where energy demand is continuous.

We are very excited about the potential here and recently applied for EU funding as we try to make this a reality. We also had success in securing a €4.7 million EU Connecting Europe Facility grant through the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility, enabling pantograph charging for airport shuttle buses, the first in Ireland, and supports the shift to lower-emission operational vehicles and ground support equipment.

In parallel, we are supporting the transition to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for the aviation sector, ensuring that airlines can meet the minimum 2% SAF blend required under the ReFuelEU Directive at Dublin and Cork airports, helping to reduce emissions beyond airport operations.

Together, these initiatives demonstrate a practical, coordinated approach to reducing emissions and impact. By combining renewable energy, alternative fuels and electrification, daa is cutting emissions, strengthening energy resilience and positioning its airports as leaders in sustainable infrastructure.

Find out more about what we are doing at daa by visiting www.daa.ie/esg

W: www.daa.ie
E: sustainability@daa.ie

Andrea Carroll is the Director of Sustainability for daa Group who has been working in sustainability for over 20 years, and has held previous roles in AWS, SEAI, South Dublin Chamber and in the Public Sector.