OLGA concludes five years of airport innovation, turning successful demonstrations into pathways for deployment
Paris, 8 September 2026 – After five years of testing innovative solutions in real airport environments, the EU-funded OLGA – hOListic & Green Airports project brought its community together at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport to present its final results and examine how successful demonstrations can progress towards wider deployment and replication across European airports.
The OLGA Final Event marked the culmination of five years of collaboration between airports, researchers, technology providers, public authorities and aviation stakeholders. Alongside showcasing promising technologies, the event addressed a broader question: what does it take to move an airport innovation from demonstration to operational deployment?
The programme featured 15 project presentations examining airport sustainability from three perspectives: passengers, airlines and airport operations, and local communities. The presentations covered cleaner aircraft operations, sustainable energy, low-carbon mobility, air quality, biodiversity, the circular economy, digitalisation and infrastructure.
Images from the OLGA Final Event are available here:
From individual pilots to measurable results
Several OLGA demonstrations showed that significant environmental improvements can already be achieved by adapting existing airport operations and infrastructure.
At Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, the deployment of 24 Pre-Conditioned Air units now supports approximately 45,000 flights each year. This is estimated to save around 1,200 tonnes of jet fuel and 3,900 tonnes of CO₂ annually.
The Green Apron solution explored how artificial intelligence and operational data can further reduce unnecessary aircraft emissions on the ground. During the demonstration, average Auxiliary Power Unit use after arrival decreased from 14 to eight minutes. Before departure, average use fell from 28 to 19 minutes following targeted communication with operational teams.
OLGA also investigated the impact of airport operations on surrounding communities. Air-quality modelling indicated that the full electrification of ground support equipment could produce a 17.5% reduction in airport-wide PM₁₀ emissions under the modelled scenario.
Meanwhile, low-carbon concrete formulations tested within the project achieved reductions of between 21% and 45% in greenhouse gas emissions associated with material production, transport and construction, while continuing to meet the required performance thresholds.
Connecting airports with cities
A significant part of OLGA’s work extended beyond the airport perimeter, exploring how airports can become better integrated into low-carbon regional mobility systems.
In Cluj-Napoca, an autonomous electric bus concept progressed from digital simulation to operation in a real urban environment. The vehicle completed the full 17.15-kilometre corridor between the airport and the city centre, providing valuable evidence on technical feasibility, energy performance, localisation and operational conditions.
The project’s fleet scenario estimated that ten autonomous electric vehicles, each operating 200 kilometres per day, could avoid approximately 683 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually compared with an equivalent Euro VI diesel fleet, calculated on an energy-chain basis.
In Zagreb, OLGA demonstrated the importance of designing transport operations and energy infrastructure together. Modelling of an existing airport bus connection showed that fast opportunity charging at the airport could maintain the current timetable with three electric buses instead of four, while also reducing total charged energy by avoiding additional journeys to charging facilities.
A complementary digital mobility platform, developed and demonstrated in Zagreb, combines data from the airport, public transport networks, road traffic, parking facilities and other sources. The platform supports decision-making related to transport demand, multimodal connections and infrastructure planning.
This work also reinforced one of OLGA’s recurring lessons: access to high-quality, interoperable data is essential if digital solutions are to be successfully replicated at other airports.
Circular economy and nature as integral parts of airport sustainability
OLGA’s holistic approach extended beyond carbon emissions to include biodiversity, circular resource use and passenger behaviour.
At Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, BiodiversIT demonstrated how digital tools can support biodiversity monitoring and management, contributing to improved biodiversity preservation and the control of invasive species. The solution has progressed beyond its original demonstration and is now the airport’s standard biodiversity monitoring tool—providing a concrete example of an OLGA innovation continuing beyond the project’s funded lifetime.
In Cluj-Napoca, the project explored a circular model for converting biogas from wastewater treatment into biomethane and bioCNG for mobility. The modular and relocatable concept confirmed the technical feasibility of producing renewable fuel from local waste resources. It also demonstrated that clear permitting and regulatory pathways remain essential conditions for wider deployment.
Not every demonstration produced a simple technological answer. A reusable-cup pilot involving ten food and beverage operators and 20,000 reusable cups at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport achieved an average return rate of 47%. The pilot highlighted the importance of passenger behaviour, communication, operational design and appropriate incentives alongside technology.
Moving from demonstration to deployment
The Final Event concluded with two round-table discussions examining the impact and replication potential of OLGA’s innovations, as well as the experiences of airports progressing from demonstration towards deployment.
Across a diverse range of solutions, a common lesson emerged: successful replication depends not only on whether a technology works, but also on infrastructure readiness, investment, regulation, data availability, operational integration, local conditions and clear ownership.
OLGA’s legacy therefore extends beyond its individual demonstrations. The project has generated operational evidence, methodologies and practical lessons that other airports can use when assessing which solutions are appropriate for their own circumstances. It has also established partnerships and knowledge networks that can continue supporting airport sustainability beyond the end of the funded project.
OLGA’s legacy continues
The conclusion of the project does not mean the end of access to its knowledge and results.
To capture the project’s journey, achievements and lessons learned, the OLGA partnership has produced a dedicated publication bringing together the story of the project and its key outcomes. The OLGA project book can be viewed here
OLGA’s results, solutions, evidence and lessons learned will also be consolidated in a dedicated Results section on the project website. This will provide airports, policymakers, industry partners and other stakeholders with a practical resource through which they can explore the project’s work and assess the replication potential of its solutions.
Stay tuned as the OLGA Results section goes live and five years of knowledge, cooperation and experience are brought together in one accessible resource.
