18 November 2025
by Tim Bridge – Technical Director
Over the last few years Saxon Air has been carrying out infrastructure and building works to minimise the energy imported to their Business Aviation Centre at Norwich Airport. The BAC is home to quite a variety of businesses including helicopter and aircraft maintenance, a flight school and other training providers, an Air Ambulance charity and a busy passenger terminal for the thriving offshore energy sector.
While these businesses have all seen their energy usage drop as a result of ongoing changes and upgrades, such as LED lighting and heating system control upgrades, this only gets us so far. With the 2025 completion of the phased solar PV programme, the next step was a big one, get the building ready for the next generation [/next 10 years].
The Skycharge system is the core of a significant package of infrastructure works at the main connection point to the power grid. Like a normal BESS, the system will provide energy storage for peak lopping and the maximum utilisation of energy generated on site (largely from PV). What makes it unique is that it also provides for up to 1.4MW of power directly on the ramp for charging electric and hybrid aircraft. Its also built for the later addition of biodiesel or hydrogen generators for back up and off grid operation – greatly increasing the resilience of the supply, not just of users of the building, but for aircraft operations as well.
The current fleet of two electric aircraft we operate at present do not need 1.4MW on the ramp, but that is changing fast. Early next year we will see another electric aircraft type visiting regularly, with a third type arriving over the summer. With early-to-market eCTOL and eVTOL shuttles with us as early as 2026 and in full service by 2028, now is the right time to make sure the infrastructure is in place to facilitate these operations.
Jet1A, SAF and 100LL are not going to disappear very soon, but that’s no reason to be holding up the show just because there’s not a 2000A supply handy where you need it.
Categories: Partnerships, Sustainability