daa secures €2.35 million in EU funding to advance sustainable transport at Dublin Airport

daa, the operator of Dublin and Cork airports, has received the first instalment of €2.35 million in funding from the European Commission this week under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) programme. This funding marks a major milestone in the delivery of the Dublin Airport Campus Electrification (DACE) project, which is designed to significantly reduce carbon emissions and support the transition to sustainable transport at Dublin Airport.

The DACE project, co-funded by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), will see the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the airport campus, including pantograph chargers for landside shuttle buses, EV charging stations for light vehicles and airside shuttle busses, and charging infrastructure for ground service equipment. These developments are part of daa’s broader commitment to environmental sustainability and innovation in airport operations.

The €2.35 million grant is part of a wider funding package secured through the CEF AFIF 2024–2025 call, which supports the deployment of alternative fuel infrastructure along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The total funding secured by daa for the DACE project is €4.7 million.

“This is great news for the business and for our passengers,” said Kenny Jacobs, daa CEO. “We’re focused on making meaningful progress in sustainable airport operations, and this funding from the European Commission enables us to take another significant step forward. It’s a win for the environment, for innovation, and for Ireland’s contribution to a more sustainable transport future.”

“This funding enables us to accelerate the electrification of our campus and deliver further progress on our sustainability goals at Dublin Airport,” said Miriam Ryan, daa’s Chief Governance and Strategy Officer. “We are fully supportive of the EU’s ambition to decarbonise transport across Europe in tandem with our aviation partners. Together we are actively collaborating to play our respective roles in a world to connect and a future to protect.”

“The Dublin Airport Campus Electrification (DACE) project is a significant step towards decarbonising airport activities. This project is a concrete contribution to the energy transition in transport to reach climate neutrality in 2050. With more than €4.7 million grant provided by the Connecting Europe Facility (AFIF), the European Union will support the installation of electric charging infrastructure to enhance airport’s overall sustainability” declared Richard Ferrer, Head of Alternative Fuels sector at CINEA, the Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.