Bill Overview
Title: Airport Energy Resiliency and Renewable Energy Act
Description: This bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish a grant program to incentivize air carrier airports to acquire or install new renewable energy generation resources that directly and substantially benefit such airports, including solar photovoltaic panels, battery storage systems, or microgrids.
Sponsors: Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-11]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals globally who travel through or work at airports that will adopt renewable energy solutions
Estimated Size: 10000000
- The bill focuses on encouraging airports to adopt renewable energy solutions.
- The primary entities affected are the airports that will implement these energy changes.
- Airports serve passengers, so indirectly, air travelers might experience some changes, such as potentially reduced environmental impact or improved services due to renewable energy cost savings.
- Airport employees might also be impacted by changes in energy systems and possibly new procedures related to renewable energy sources.
Reasoning
- The Renewable Energy Act aims at transforming the energy infrastructure of airports in the U.S., which could mainly affect airport employees and the experience of air travelers.
- The emphasis on renewable energy implies potential long-term savings and environmental benefits which might not immediately affect passengers' direct experience but could improve operational efficiency and sustainability of airports.
- We estimate diverse impacts across individuals based on their roles related to airports - employees might face more changes than travelers.
- Considering the budget limitations and scale, not all airports will receive grants immediately, likely affecting larger airports more prominently.
- The policy primarily benefits airport operations, indirectly affecting air travelers and potentially resulting in fewer environmental impacts.
Simulated Interviews
Pilot (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a pilot, the policy interests me because it aligns aviation with sustainability goals.
- I hope it results in improved airport operations and stability in services.
- Environmental consciousness in our industry is overdue.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Airport ground crew (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm interested as this may mean newer equipment that is more efficient and safe.
- Stability and environmental responsibility are important to me and my family.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Software Engineer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing airports are using renewables makes flying feel less of a 'guilty pleasure'.
- Hope it reflects in a possible fare reduction due to infrastructure cost drops.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Retired (Salt Lake City, UT)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is promising as previously air travel's environmental solutions seemed marginalized.
- Feeling better about unavoidable travel is a plus.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Airline executive (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is aligned with our long-term cost-saving strategies.
- We expect reduced operational costs translating to competitive fares.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Business traveler (Dallas, TX)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While not directly impactful, knowing airports adopt renewables aligns with my personal values.
- I hope this eventually leads to more efficient airport services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Airport energy manager (Seattle, WA)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As an energy manager, this policy opens the door to innovation and crucial upgrades.
- Success of this initiative could set a precedent for broader implementation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Environmental scientist (Miami, FL)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It potentially mitigates the negative ecological impact of aviation fuel usage.
- I hope it inspires worldwide powers to follow suit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 9 |
Airport maintenance worker (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This will bring cutting-edge technology tools to our work scope, which is exciting.
- There's a learning curve, but good for job security long-term.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Freelance writer (Denver, CO)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The freemium model for renewable adoption is sensible and could accelerate accessibility.
- Ultimately, I believe it could make airports great news stories for environmental impact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 3: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 5: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The scale of renewable energy installations at airports can vary widely, affecting overall policy costs.
- Airports with higher passenger volumes have higher energy demands, which could affect grant allocation.
- External factors, such as state laws and renewable energy incentives, will influence implementation.