Ruling parties want Netherlands to be front runner in electric air travel

Ruling parties VVD and D66 think that the Netherlands can be a world leader when it comes to electric air travel. And to achieve that the Netherlands should do much more to stimulate and experiment with electric flying, VVD parliamentarian Remco Dijkstra and D66 parliamentarian Jan Paternotte proposed during a parliamentary debate on aviation, NOS reports.

Easyjet plans to transport passengers on electric planes between Amsterdam and London in 2027. This is possible, but only if this innovation is stimulated and electrical initiatives are given priority at Dutch airports, according to the parliamentarians.

"There are already destinations like Norway, Denmark and Scotland that can be reached with electric flying. And there are no tracks that way", Paternote said. "We think that in a few years you can fill scheduled services with electric planes, as long as we focus on innovation." The largest electric aircraft can currently only carry nine people. "But developments are going really fast. If we could transport 30 of them electrically in a few years' time, you could already use it as a regular service."

The VVD and D66 want the Netherlands to bring together the various existing experiments with electric air travel. For example, Teuge Airport, TU Delft and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences could work together to advance hybrid and electric planes, according to the MPs. The restrictions on electric flying should also be lifted, and more small airports should start experimenting with electric aircraft, they proposed.

By introducing electric taxiing at Schiphol, a lot of fuel can already be saved, the parliamentarians added. After landing at the Polderbaan, a plane has to taxi for nearly 15 minutes before passengers can disembark. "Making all of this electric can save almost 19 million kilos of kerosene at Schiphol alone. that is why we want to experiment with different systems at Rotterdam, Eindhoven and Schiphol", Dijkstra said.