Partnership helps Cork Airport to cut carbon emissions

Working with Cork company ActionZero, the airport cut carbon emissions by 56% between 2009 and 2019

Cork Airport acting managing director Roy O’Driscoll and ActionZero CEO Denis Collins with one of the airport's electric vehicles. Picture: Darragh Kane.

Cork Airport has cut its carbon emissions by more than half, thanks to a long-standing partnership with Cork climate technology company ActionZero.

The airport announced this week that it had cut its carbon emissions by 56% between 2009 and 2019, saving around €3.9m in costs. 

In total, 4,003 metric tonnes of emissions were saved, an amount equivalent to taking more than 800 cars off the road.

Roy O’Driscoll, acting managing director at Cork Airport, said: “We’re fully committed to reducing our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment. 

"We’re delighted to work with ActionZero to achieve our 2030 energy reduction targets as set out by the Climate Action Plan. Together, I am confident that we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to 2018."

ActionZero was formed in 2021, following the merger of Energy Services and Straightline Energy Solutions. 

Headquartered in Penrose Dock, Cork, the company has been growing steadily and has recently established a manufacturing and research and development centre in Tralee, Co Kerry.

ActionZero works with a number of large companies, including Dell Technologies, Kepak, and Pfizer.

The company has been partnering with Cork Airport for over 10 years, helping the airport to achieve ‘reduction’ status as part of the airport carbon accreditation programme every year since 2011.

Together, the companies have developed a comprehensive carbon management plan for Cork Airport that promotes energy efficiency throughout the campus and supports other scheduled energy reduction, water conservation, and waste reduction initiatives.

This year, Cork Airport was ranked as the best performing commercial state body in Ireland for energy savings by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

“This is a paramount moment for climate action across the public sector and industry," said ActionZero CEO Denis Collins. "Our partnership with Cork Airport is an important one, making a difference over many years. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with Cork Airport as it moves towards a future free from greenhouse gas emissions."

Not only has the facility saved almost €4m in energy costs, but it has also successfully reduced its carbon emissions by 56%.”

In 2019, Cork and Dublin airports signed a commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 as part of a resolution by ACI Europe, the trade association for the European airport industry.

Steps taken to achieve the goal in Cork have included a retrofit of the car park and airport campus lighting systems and the construction of a new electrical substation.