Fourteen electric vehicle chargers have been installed in parking ramps at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), providing an eco-friendly energy boost to travelers with electric vehicles.
Users of the new devices simply pay the regular parking rate for the time they are parked in the ramp; at this time, there is no additional fee for use of the electric chargers, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We installed the chargers to encourage use of electric vehicles and to accommodate those travelers who own them,” said Dennis Probst, executive vice-president of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which owns and operates MSP and six general aviation airports. “Operating MSP International Airport in a sustainable fashion includes ensuring airport users have access to services and infrastructure that support eco-conscious decisions. The addition of vehicle charging stations represents another advancement toward that end.”
At Terminal 1-Lindbergh there are five chargers on Level 8 of the Blue Parking Ramp and five on Level 8 of the Red Parking Ramp. All four chargers at Terminal 2-Humphrey are located on Level 7 of the Orange Parking Ramp. Drivers can follow signs along the airport roadways and in the parking ramps themselves to locate the devices.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission installed the equipment as part of its Stewards of Tomorrow’s Airport Resources (STAR) program, which focuses on operating MSP in a manner that is environmentally, financially and socially sustainable. The MAC’s vehicle fleet includes 80 alternative fuel cars and trucks. Among them are four electric and two hybrid vehicles. The MAC plans to add a compressed natural gas vehicle to its fleet this year. In addition, planning is underway to convert a portion of airlines’ ground service equipment from diesel to electric in the near future.
“We purchase alternative-fuel vehicles for our own use whenever practicable and want to provide the infrastructure needed to support travelers who do the same,” Probst said.
