ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Webinar highlights role of Renewable Diesel in airport decarbonisation

On 9 April 2026, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID) convened a webinar on the use of renewable diesel at airports. 

Organised under the Regional Environment Committee, the webinar attracted 114 participants, including committee members, sustainability professionals, and airport operations experts from across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, reflecting strong regional interest in advancing environmental initiatives.

The webinar highlighted how renewable fuels can help support the industry’s towards a sustainable future. It aims at supporting sustainability goals at airports, through integrating airport operations, and aligning with global decarbonisation strategies.

Opening remarks were delivered by Ms. Kristy Tan, Chair of the Regional Environment Committee and Senior Manager, Climate Resilience at Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), who positioned renewable diesel as one of the most readily deployable decarbonisation tools currently available to airports.

Mr. Ken Lau, Head of Sustainability and Secretariat of the Regional Environment Committee at ACI APAC & MID, moderated the session that highlighted how RD is capable of reducing lifecycle emissions by up to 95% compared to conventional fossil diesel, with no engine modifications or infrastructure upgrades required.

The webinar featured two inspiring case studies from airports already putting RD into practice.

Ms. Au Yong Hoi Wen, Senior Manager, Environment & Sustainability at Changi Airport Group, shared insights from CAG’s seven‑month trial involving 10 heavy and specialised vehicles powered by RD. As part of the circularity loop in this trial, used cooking oil collected from Changi Airport’s F&B outlets contributed to the feedstock for producing the renewable diesel used. The trial delivered an estimated 81% reduction in well-to-wheel lifecycle emissions, alongside significant reductions in tailpipe pollutants and improved fuel efficiency for specialised vehicles. 

Ms. Tammy L. Y. Fung, Manager of Sustainability at AAHK, shared Hong Kong International Airport’s (HKIA) journey as the first airport in Asia to deploy renewable diesel (RD) for ground service equipment (GSE) in 2024. This milestone was underpinned by nearly five years of preparatory work, including technical research, capacity building across the airport community, consultation with government departments, and the resolution of logistical challenges. HKIA also established a Renewable Diesel Working Group comprising 10 business partners, which led to a collaborative procurement exercise that aggregated demand and significantly reduced RD costs. To accelerate uptake across the airport community, AAHK’s HKD 20 million HKIA Greenovation Fund supported RD pilot projects by funding the green premium during the pilot period. HKIA is now ramping up towards 100% RD usage for its “hard to electrify” fleet and is trialling RD for mobile and emergency generators. Through these ongoing collective efforts to position RD as a practical transitional fuel, AAHK is targeting airport wide adoption for all “hard to electrify” GSE by 2028. When combined with electrification, the use of renewable diesel under HKIA’s green transportation strategy is expected to bring the airside fleet close to net zero emissions by the end of this decade.

The session also featured a lively Q&A facilitated by Mr. Mohan Sai Gurugubelli, Manager, Sustainability and Environment, ACI APAC & MID. A live poll at the start of the session captured a telling snapshot of where the region currently stands of 55 responses from participants of different airports , 80% of respondentsare not yet using RD, 18%  are already using it, and 1% have plans to adopt. The results made the value of the session clearer. 

Image credit: Freepik.com

ACI APAC & MID stands commited to promoting aviation environmental sustainability through knowledge-sharing initiatives and best practices that support industry’s decarbonisation efforts, and driving progress towards net zero 2050. 

For further information regarding this webinar or future webinars, please reach out to Mr. Ken Lau, Head of Sustainability, ACI APAC & MID at ken@aci-asiapac.aero.
 

Image credit: Freepik.com