SITA and Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa have teamed up to launch a challenge aimed at reducing carbon emissions at regional airports across Africa. The goal is to cut CO2 emissions by 20 percent, with a focus on optimizing aircraft turnaround times.
According to Linden Birns, Public Relations & Media Relations Advisor for SITA Sub-Sahara Africa, successful applicants will have the opportunity to present their innovative solutions to SITA. The chosen finalist could receive up to GBP 25,000 in seed funding from Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa and will work with SITA to implement a trial project at regional African airports.
Selim Bouri, SITA’s President for the Middle East and Africa, emphasized the urgent environmental issues faced by regional airports and stated that the challenge aims to reduce CO2 emissions by a fifth, specifically addressing inefficiencies caused by aircraft auxiliary power units (APUs) during ground operations.
The initiative also aims to improve operational efficiency at African regional airports, which often struggle to capture and analyze aircraft turnaround data effectively. Inefficient processes lead to delays, congestion, and missed flight connections, particularly at smaller airports lacking the technological infrastructure of larger facilities.
Babar Javed, Open Innovation Lead for Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa, expressed excitement about the partnership with SITA and highlighted the importance of finding scalable, real-time solutions that can process the limited data available at regional airports.
Proposed solutions must be scalable, capable of functioning in real-time, and able to work with the limited data collected by smaller airports. The selected solutions will initially be trialed in one of three countries: South Africa, Nigeria, or Kenya.
Entries are welcome from various sectors, including aviation, transport, digital technologies, AI, blockchain, machine learning, and business intelligence. Solutions can involve hardware, software, devices, infrastructure, or other innovative technologies.
Successful entrants will not only receive seed funding but also technical support from SITA and sector expertise from Innovate UK. They will also benefit from support in prototype development, participation in Innovate UK events and competitions, and potential introductions to investors.
Deadline for Entries: October 25, 2024
Finalists to be announced: November 2024
Pilot Project to be activated: January 2025
This program emphasizes the pressing requirement for innovation to decrease emissions and enhance the operational effectiveness of airports throughout Africa, setting the stage for a more environmentally sustainable future in aviation.
