airplanes to turn off their engines and auxiliary power units while at the gate . This reduces emissions and saves fuel , creating a healthier airside environment for our employees and our customers . In 2019 , Dulles International was awarded a Voluntary Airport Low Emissions ( VALE ) grant by the FAA for $ 850,000 for GPUs and PCA units along with electrical feeder infrastructure for us to deploy at our remote gates and move closer to our 100 % goal . We will continue to pursue funding opportunities , such as VALE grants , to fund future sustainability efforts .
Electrification of Airside Equipment
As airport customers await their flights , it is hard not to notice the swarm of activity taking place out the window as incoming and outgoing planes are serviced by airline and other support staff . All the vehicles and equipment involved in this activity are collectively known as GSE . These include equipment such as plane pushbacks and tugs , belt and baggage loaders , container loaders , food and water trucks , as well as lavatory trucks . Most of this equipment is regulated under off-highway emissions rulings , which in many cases are less stringent than for on the road vehicles . The majority of GSE at today ’ s airports are petroleum powered but progress is being made to electrify this equipment . As with electric buses , there is an initial cost premium to buy electric GSEs ( eGSEs ) which , based on data from another large airport , is estimated to be in the 10 – 30 % range , depending on the unit . In addition , airside charging infrastructure is required for the eGSE fleet . As with both buses and PTVs , electrifying GSEs will improve airside air quality and reduce both fuel and maintenance costs . With an NREL technical analysis pending , we intend to better understand both the costs and benefits as well as required site electrical upgrades of converting to eGSE , and with this information , formulate a long-term plan to proceed .
Electrification of GSE is an area of sustainability planning where partnerships are fundamental to our success . Airlines traditionally operate and maintain their own GSE fleets . The Authority leases the fueling infrastructure for the GSEs to the airlines who manage it themselves through an airline consortium . When it comes to eGSEs , airlines purchase the vehicles and we , as the airport administrator , invest in the necessary electrical charging infrastructure to power them . To assist with the capital investment , the FAA makes grants available through its VALE program on a competitive basis that can cover up to 75 % of the cost of this electrical infrastructure upgrade . In 2018 , we were successful in obtaining a $ 4 million grant from the FAA in partnership with United Airlines for 112 electric charging ports and related infrastructure at Dulles International . This investment will add to our small but growing fleet of eGSEs across both airports . In addition , as noted above , we are working with American Airlines at Reagan National airport to provide the necessary electrical infrastructure to accommodate their plans for electric GSE at the new concourse currently under construction .
Status of Adoption of Ground Service Equipment
The airlines at Reagan National have electrified approximately 19 % of their GSE fleet ( 116 out of 614 units ). At Dulles International , 5 % of United Airline ’ s GSE fleet ( 30 out of 620 units ) have been electrified as of early 2020 , however additional charging ports may influence the speed of adoption in the coming years . We are still collecting information from other airlines regarding their GSE fleets at Dulles International ; however , United is our largest airline at the airport — responsible for approximately 70 % of passenger traffic . Based on United ’ s market share , it is safe to assume that less than 10 % of the overall fleet at Dulles International is currently electric .
A key component to an electrification-of-GSE strategy is the current age of the existing GSE fleet . For example , one of our airline partners told us that their GSE fleet was on average 14 – 16 years old at Dulles International but only 5 – 6 years old at Reagan National . In the absence of significant grant funding , converting GSEs to electric would only make financial sense at the end of the useful life of a GSE , which
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