The Better Question is a recurring series that grounds complex industry assumptions in facts, feasibility and community impact.

As aviation infrastructure evolves, airports are rethinking how energy systems support growing power demands, operational resilience, decarbonization goals and long-term economic development opportunities. But with a growing mix of solutions – from on-site and off-site generation such as renewables to alternative forms of electric supply and energy storage – decision-makers are facing a more complex question: not just how much energy is enough, but which strategies will hold value over time.

The answer begins with understanding current and future energy demand needs and identifying strategies that can adapt as those needs evolve.

In this edition of The Better Question, Clark Wiedetz, vice president, Energy Solutions, outlines how airports can reframe energy investment decisions to prioritize long-term value, adaptability and system integration.

Myth: Airports should avoid overbuilding and size alternative energy systems to match demand.

Where did this idea come from, and why does it still stick?

Historically, infrastructure investment has been anchored in known, near-term demand. For energy systems, that has meant aligning capacity tightly with existing load, minimizing upfront capital costs and reducing perceived risk.

This approach persists because it aligns with traditional planning frameworks. It’s easier to justify. It feels fiscally disciplined. And in environments where future growth, tenant demand and emerging technologies are uncertain, oversizing can appear speculative.

But as electrification accelerates, new energy sources emerge and private-sector partnerships expand, designing for “just enough” demand can introduce constraints almost immediately after a system comes online.

What does the actual evidence tell us?

Energy demand at complex facilities like airports is not static. Electrified ground fleets, increased terminal loads, new industrial partnerships and emerging fuel technologies are all contributing to rising demand profiles.

At many airports, future demand is increasingly influenced by opportunities that extend beyond traditional aviation operations. As airports diversify the types of businesses, tenants and partnerships they support, energy infrastructure is becoming a critical enabler of long-term growth.

At the same time, distributed energy systems are evolving from single-purpose infrastructure into multi-functional, revenue-generating platforms. For example, hybrid and off-site solutions can be structured to exceed on-site demand, creating opportunities to monetize excess capacity through grid services, third-party agreements and other energy market participation mechanisms.

Systems designed only to meet current demand often leave value on the table: limiting an airport’s ability to support future tenants, participate in emerging energy ecosystems or respond to evolving operational needs.

By contrast, strategically scaled systems can deliver flexibility, resilience and new revenue pathways.

How has STV evolved its approach as this has changed?

STV’s energy solutions team approaches energy strategy as a long-term value and integration challenge. That means helping clients evaluate:

• How systems can scale, adapt and integrate as demand evolves 

• Where excess generation can be monetized through grid participation or third-party agreements 

• How energy infrastructure can enable broader economic activity, including partnerships with adjacent industries 

Rather than optimizing for lowest-cost delivery today, STV helps clients identify strategies that remain viable, competitive and adaptable over decades of change. 

Infrastructure investment should do more than solve immediate constraints – it should create the conditions for future opportunity while strengthening the communities it serves.  

What does that look like when put into practice?

• Conversion of alternative fuels into new energy sources 

• Scaled production capacity to accommodate future tenants and partners 

• Excess energy routed to the grid or secured through third-party agreements 

• Integration with adjacent industrial users to establish a regional energy ecosystem 

If stakeholders are evaluating how to invest in energy infrastructure, what question should they be asking?

Instead of asking: 

“How do we size our energy system to meet today’s demand at the lowest cost?” 

Ask: 
 
“Which energy strategy delivers the highest long-term value by enabling growth, flexibility and participation in evolving energy markets?” 

This type of reframing positions energy infrastructure as a dynamic system that supports operational resilience, unlocks economic opportunity and enables future-ready airport operations.

At a time when technologies and partnerships are advancing rapidly, the greatest risk may not be overbuilding. It may be building too narrowly for a future that is already taking shape.

Find out more about how STV’s energy solutions team can support a feasible, funded and future‑proof strategy for airport energy infrastructure.