Farnborough Airport completes one of the largest solar installations in the South East

Farnborough Airport, the home of British aviation and Europe’s leading airport for premium air travel connectivity, has announced it has completed one of the largest light-weight solar installations in the South East, enabling the Airport to generate 25% of its own power.

Over the past eight months, the innovative and extensive project has seen over 4,000 solar panels mounted on Farnborough Airport’s iconic curved hangar roofs, as well as its state-of-the-art 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.

With the installation works now complete, in total 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 bold 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.

The installation was carried out by solar power generation providers Solivus, who are at the forefront of new-innovation solar installations. 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 commented: “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 commented: “Rooftop solar is crucial for decarbonising 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.”

The solar installation follows a series of successful milestones in recent years at the Airport. In 2018, Farnborough Airport was the first business aviation airport to achieve Carbon Neutral 3+ status. In 2021, it began offering all customers Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and in 2022, for a two-week trial period in the lead up to the Farnborough International Airshow, Farnborough Airport became the first airport in the world to offer SAF at the same price as standard Jet A1 fuel. Also in 2022, Farnborough Airport made a commitment to be Net Zero by 2030 or sooner for emissions within its control, setting one of the most ambitious targets in the aviation industry. Earlier this year, Farnborough Airport was awarded Level 4+, the highest level of carbon accreditation, by the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) scheme.