Farnborough Airport has completed one of the largest light-weight solar installations in the South East of the UK, enabling the airport to generate 25% of its own power.
Over the past eight months, the project has seen over 4,000 solar panels mounted on Farnborough Airport’s curved hangar roofs, as well as its terminal building, the airport’s control tower and its award winning 169 room hotel, the Aviator Hampshire.
The installation will also enable the airport’s operational fleet of electric vehicles to be charged using self-generated electricity.
The installation will deliver over 1,700 kWp of installed capacity annually, generating over 1.2 GWh of clean energy every year, propelling Farnborough Airport forward in its target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 or sooner.
In total, the PV (photovoltaic) installation is expected to generate over 36 GWh of energy in its lifetime and offset more than 5,000 tonnes of CO2e in that time.
With 40% of large buildings, such as aircraft hangers, unable to take the weight of conventional solar panels, Farnborough Airport partnered with Solivus to install a lightweight solar solution to harness solar energy while minimising structural concerns and installation complexities.
Farnborough Airport CEO Simon Geere said, “In line with our ambition to become a sustainability showcase for airports around the world, we’re proud to have partnered with solar technology pioneers, Solivus, to install one of the largest rooftop solar projects in the region. The solar installation is a significant step towards achieving our sustainability objectives, significantly reducing our controllable emissions, as set out in our Net Zero Roadmap, in which we have committed to be Net Zero by 2030 or sooner.”
Solivus CEO, Jo Parker-Swift said, “Rooftop solar is crucial for decarbonizing the built environment, but its application has often been constrained by the structural limitations of many commercial buildings. Put simply, traditional solar panels are too heavy for many rooftops. Our lightweight solar innovation addresses this issue, enabling large-scale, cost-effective solar deployment across nearly all large commercial buildings and sites.
“We are proud to have worked with Farnborough Airport to ensure the future supply of renewable energy, supporting the airport’s progressive net zero emissions journey.”
