Schiphol and KLM begin biodiesel trial

At Amsterdam Airport, Schiphol and KLM have started fuelling some of their ground transport vehicles on 100% biodiesel (B100).

The move comes after both companies invested heavily in the introduction of biofuel-powered vehicles at the airport, as electrically powered vehicles are currently limited to certain vehicle types.

SkyNRG of the Netherlands is supplying the biodiesel to Schiphol and KLM, which also uses SkyNRG's sustainable kerosene, in addition to Thomson Airways and Finnair.

Forty airport vehicles including tractors, and catering, bird control and delivery vans will be converted to biodiesel during a four-month trial. If the pilot is successful, biodiesel will be used to power more vehicles.

'By using 100% biodiesel in our vehicles we are injecting a powerful impetus in the advancement of sustainable enterprise at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol,' says Ad Rutten, executive vice president and COO of Schiphol Group. 'We have formulated the ambition of running a CO2-neutral operation by 2012, and investment in sustainable mobility is one way in which we will achieve this.'