Bill Overview
Title: Airport Energy Resiliency and Renewable Energy Act of 2022
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: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Target Audience
Population: People who use and work in and around airports globally
Estimated Size: 950000000
- The legislation affects airports directly, as it aims to improve their energy infrastructure.
- Airline passengers and employees who depend on airport operations will be impacted, as resilient and renewable energy systems can enhance reliability and reduce delays.
- Airlines themselves, as tenants of these airports, may benefit from improved operational efficiency due to enhanced energy systems.
- Communities surrounding airports may experience reduced environmental pollution with increased renewable energy usage by the airports.
- Vendors and contractors involved in the installation of renewable energy systems will experience business growth.
Reasoning
- The target population for this policy includes airport operations, airline passengers, airport workers, surrounding communities, and renewable energy vendors.
- Many US airports are set to benefit from improved energy efficiency and reliability, which can increase the resiliency of the infrastructure during extreme weather events or other disruptions.
- For the airline industry, operational improvements due to enhanced energy reliability can lead to fewer flight delays and cancellations.
- Passengers may enjoy more consistent travel experiences due to reduced delays, potentially improving their well-being.
- Communities near airports may experience a slight reduction in air pollution and related health issues as airports switch to renewable energy sources.
- Vendors and contractors involved with renewable energy projects are likely to see increased business opportunities.
- The budget constraints may limit the number of airports that can be fully converted to renewable energy in the short term, so some regions might not experience immediate benefits.
Simulated Interviews
Airline Pilot (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think strengthening energy resilience at airports will reduce operational delays during weather extremes, this would make my job smoother.
- Our flights often face delays due to power outages or grid issues at smaller airports. This initiative should address those problems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Air Traffic Controller (Denver, CO)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Upgrade in renewable energy could significantly cut down stress during power outages or extreme weather conditions.
- The implementation might increase job security as operating costs decrease.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Environmental Scientist (Newark, NJ)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reducing reliance on fossil fuels at airports is a positive step towards reducing urban pollutants.
- The effect on air quality might initially be limited, but is crucial in long-term urban planning.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Airport Retail Manager (Dallas, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reduction in energy costs could lead to lower operating expenses and possibly higher profits.
- I'm unsure about the immediate operational impact, but long-term improvements could be significant.
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 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Frequent Business Traveler (Chicago, IL)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More reliable airport operations could reduce travel stress.
- Skeptical about how soon the changes would be felt as a passenger.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Energy Consultant (Miami, FL)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a great leap towards sustainable development in airports.
- Long-term visibility and consulting opportunities for my firm will likely increase.
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 | 8 | 7 |
Airline Customer Service Agent (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improvements in energy reliability could lead to fewer customer complaints about delays.
- It could improve our work environment and slightly cut down on the stress.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Airport Food Vendor (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 33 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Lower energy costs might reduce rental fees and improve business viability.
- Quick energy transition might not drastically affect small vendors like me immediately.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Renewable Energy Technician (Seattle, WA)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy looks like a steady source of work for technicians like myself.
- More contracts with airports could ensure job security and possibly better earnings.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Local Resident near JFK (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Transitioning airport energy use to greener sources could improve local air quality.
- Concerns remain about ongoing noise pollution regardless of energy use.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $800000000 (Low: $700000000, High: $900000000)
Year 2: $1000000000 (Low: $900000000, High: $1100000000)
Year 3: $1000000000 (Low: $900000000, High: $1100000000)
Year 5: $1000000000 (Low: $900000000, High: $1100000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Variability in airport sizes and current infrastructure could affect the scale and speed of the program's implementation.
- Long-term savings and economic impacts are subject to the effectiveness and scale of renewable technologies adopted.
- Federal budget constraints and prioritization could affect the availability and size of grants.