Dublin Airport to accelerate Electric Vehicle charging, water and energy upgrades with €288 million EIB support

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

• Partnership between the EIB and daa strengthens Ireland’s connectivity while accelerating the transition to cleaner, smarter airport operations.
• New financing €627 million sustainability investment programme at Dublin Airport. 
• Investments to cut carbon emissions, improve efficient water use, and strengthen Dublin Airport as a sustainable transport gateway to Europe.

 Dublin Airport, October 284, 2025. The Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Ioannis Tsakiris, has confirmed a new €288 million long-term loan to daa, the operator of Dublin and Cork airports, representing a major step towards decarbonising Irish transport infrastructure, as well as improving air quality.

In addition to the EIB’s support, daa has also secured a €2.335 million grant from the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), further underlining the EU’s commitment to advancing sustainable transport infrastructure at Dublin Airport.

 The combined backing from the European Investment Bank and the European Union’s CEF programme demonstrates a unified European approach to accelerating the decarbonisation and modernisation of Ireland’s key transport gateways.

The EIB financing will support a €627 million programme of sustainability projects at Dublin Airport. These combined investments will cut carbon emissions, improve water efficiency, and make Dublin Airport one of Europe’s most sustainable transport gateways. Individual schemes include large scale electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the campus and water and wastewater treatment upgrades.

The investment is part of long-term infrastructure EIB financing under the Bank’s climate action and environmental sustainability priorities and daa’s commitment to decarbonising airport operations while improving resilience and the overall passenger experience.

The schemes will reduce airport emissions, enhance resource efficiency and support cleaner energy use at Ireland’s busiest international gateway and a vital economic enabler for the Irish Republic. Inspiration for this joint approach builds on a longstanding EIB-daa partnership and the funding provided for previously developed infrastructure.

Kenny Jacobs, daa’s CEO commented:

“Today marks a real step forward for Dublin Airport. With the EIB’s backing, we’re able to push ahead with major upgrades that will make a genuine difference in rolling out EV charging at scale, modernising how we manage water, and switching our terminals to renewable energy sources. These projects aren’t just about cutting emissions; they’re about making the airport work better for everyone including our passengers, customers and staff as well as the wider community. It’s a long-term investment in the future of Dublin Airport and a clear signal of our commitment to sustainability.

“Dublin Airport is critical national infrastructure, and this new loan from the EIB is a strong vote of confidence in our vision. It shows the EIB’s commitment to mobilising capital for ambitious sustainability upgrades that align with European climate goals, while also supporting Ireland’s economic competitiveness. By electrifying ground operations, improving water management and converting our terminal energy use to cleaner sources, we’ll deliver real, measurable environmental benefits for years to come.”

Ioannis Tsakiris, European Investment Bank Vice President said: 

“Dublin Airport plays a vital role as Ireland’s international gateway and a hub connecting communities and businesses across Europe and the world. The EIB is proud to support this ambitious investment that will make the airport greener, more efficient, and more resilient. Our €288 million financing reflects the EIB’s commitment to help Ireland decarbonise transport infrastructure and lead by example. Over the past decade, the Bank has provided more than €7.6 billion for airport investment across Europe and globally, increasingly focused on environmental and safety improvements and this project demonstrates how sustainable infrastructure can drive both climate action and competitiveness.” 

Project scope and benefits

• Campus‑wide EV charging infrastructure
• Deployment of high capacity charging systems to enable the transition of airside and landside vehicle fleets to zero emission alternatives, cutting local air pollutants and carbon emissions associated with ground operations. Messaging aligns with prior joint planning to highlight decarbonisation, innovation and operational gains.
• Water and wastewater treatment upgrades
• Modernisation of treatment, monitoring and re‑use systems to improve environmental performance, reduce consumption and enhance resilience during peak operations and future growth.

Collectively, these projects are expected to improve environmental outcomes, support jobs across delivery phases and provide a platform for long-term operational efficiency gains at Dublin Airport.

A trusted partnership

This new financing builds on more than thirty years of partnership and climate-aligned investment between the EIB and daa. Past EIB backing has supported critical infrastructure at Dublin and Cork airports, including terminal expansions, airfield upgrades and runway investment. Notable financings have included facilities of €125 million (2001), €115 million (2003), €200 million (2008), €260 million (2009) and €350 million (2019) to part fund terminals, piers, taxiways, stands and other enabling works.

daa has consistently noted the strategic value of long-term, flexible EIB finance in delivering essential infrastructure without recourse to the Exchequer, complementing its own cash generation and other borrowings.

Over the past decade, the EIB has provided more than €7.6 billion for airport investment across Europe and worldwide, increasingly focused on safety, resilience and sustainability.

Background information  

EIB  

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world. 

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.   

All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.   

Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers.Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average. 

High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

About daa

daa is the operator of Dublin Airport and Cork Airport and invests to deliver safe, efficient and sustainable airport infrastructure and services for passengers, airlines and Ireland’s economy.