Malaysia Airlines introduce its first eGPU to go green, but it is not related to gaming

Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the owner of Malaysia Airlines, and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), the operator of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), have just announced the first Electric Ground Power Unit (eGPU), as part of their Electronic Ground Support Equipment (eGSE) infrastructure for the country.

Launched at Subang Skypark in Subang, the eGPU will be replacing traditional non-diesel-powered ground power unit (GPU) with sustainable electric alternatives. The e-GPU rollout is designed to make the Malaysian aviation industry more sustainable, without relying on traditional fossil fuel to power aircraft’s electric systems while on the ground.

For those who are unaware, the GPU supplies power to aircraft while on the ground without engaging the main engines (not get you more frames in games). The manufacturer of the eGPU is ITW GSE, based in Illinois, USA.

MAG and MAHB will also be developing the first e-GSE infrastructure at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport) first, before rolling it out at KLIA.

“Our innovative e-GSE infrastructure marks a historic milestone, signifying our pivotal role in reshaping Malaysia’s aviation with MAHB. MAG proudly leads sustainability efforts at Subang Airport, focusing on reducing both airborne and ground emissions. This initiative will not just impact the environment but also provide an opportunity for better cost management and process improvement. In fact, the eGPU reduces 50,000kgs of CO2 emission with less than 65db(A) noise emission compared to the diesel GPU,” says Philip See Yew Jin, Group Chief Sustainability Officer, MAG.

The new eGPU was launched coinciding with the Selangor Aviation Show 2023.