The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority received a $2 million grant Tuesday from the Federal Aviation Administration to install aircraft power systems at 10 new gates at Lindbergh Field's Terminal 2, which is being expanded.
The low-emission power systems will allow for shutdown of a parked aircraft's auxiliary power unit -- called an APU -- which is an additional, and much smaller, jet engine at the rear of a plane that provides electricity for lights and avionics while the main engines are off.
The APU also provides air conditioning while the plane is parking, so the gate power system will provide pre-conditioned air.
With less APUs in use, the Federal Aviation Administration believes less pollution will be generated.
"The FAA encourages airlines and airports to find creative ways to reduce aviation's impact on the environment,'' said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. "We applaud all of San Diego's efforts to make the airport an environmentally conscious member of the community.''
In the previous fiscal year, the FAA awarded grants for a dozen low- emissions projects at 11 airports.
The gate power systems in San Diego will be installed in the gates in the expanded portion of Terminal 2, which is due to open in two years. An airport spokeswoman said existing gates will receive them in the future.
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