SAN ANTONIO — Electric vehicles already exist. But electrified airports will be developed in San Antonio.

What You Need To Know

  • The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E), the City of San Antonio, leaders from CPS Energy and UTSA will work together to create a research plan to explore sustainable aviation

  • San Antonio International Airport will be the first to work with ARPA-E to develop technology that can decarbonize aviation and pave the way toward electrified airports

  • San Antonio’s CPS Energy is on board to make sure the infrastructure is in place to support these big ideas

  • With a city-owned utility and a tier one research university, the ARPA-E director says San Antonio is the perfect place to develop this technology

“You’re looking at a hybrid electric aircraft,” said Ed Lovelace, Ampaire’s chief technology officer.

It’s a small plane that’s powered by electric batteries and fuel.

“Just like a ground hybrid vehicle, this has more range than its conventional counterpart,” Lovelace said. “Because it runs more efficiently than the conventional aircraft, it can fly further.”

This is one of the innovative ideas to come from collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E).

“We support high-risk, high-reward transformational energy technologies,” said Dr. Evelyn Wang, director of ARPA-E. “So, we’re always looking for what’s next.”

Electrified airports are up next. San Antonio International Airport will be the first to work with ARPA-E to develop technology that can decarbonize aviation.

“Exploring the decarbonization of aviation and the development of new sustainable energy models is entirely in the alignment of the City of San Antonio’s overall sustainability efforts and our vision,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

ARPA-E, the city, leaders from CPS Energy and the University of Texas at San Antonio signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to work together to create a research plan to explore sustainable aviation.

“We are already collaborating with a number of the partners that will be involved,” said Dr. Taylor Eighmy, UTSA president. “We are already doing research in the space that is very important to this pilot project.”

San Antonio’s CPS Energy is on board to make sure the infrastructure is in place to support these big ideas.

“CPS is always looking for an innovative way to help from an environmental standpoint, from a sustainability standpoint,” said Karma Nilsson, CPS Energy vice president of customer value.

The Alamo City is the birthplace of military aviation. With a city-owned utility and UTSA, a tier one research university, Dr. Wang says San Antonio is the perfect place to develop this world-changing technology.

“To have this collaboration with academia, industry and government all together in this city because they are so supportive of pushing forward,” said Dr. Wang. “They are forward thinking. They want to do something that no one else has ever tried.”