Adelaide Airport to build largest rooftop solar system in Australia

Adelaide Airport has announced that it will build the largest airport rooftop solar power system in Australia.

The 1.17MW system is to be built on the short term car park roof by Solgen Energy and will reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions at Adelaide Airport by nearly 10%. This project will further enhance the airport’s reputation as a leader in environmental sustainability.

The rooftop will be the largest private-sector solar system in South Australia and will be more than 10 times larger than the existing system at Adelaide Airport, thus bringing the total rooftop solar capacity to 1.28MW.

Adelaide Airport first installed solar panels on the roof of its domestic and international terminal in 2007. The construction for the new solar system is expected to begin in December and be completed by April 2016.

The solar system will significantly reduce energy consumption 

The solar system will be made up of 4,500 panels and will be large enough to power the equivalent of more than 300 homes. Mark Young, Adelaide Airport Managing Director, said; “Adelaide Airport is again proud to be an aviation industry leader in sustainability.This solar system significantly reduces our energy consumption, while assisting the State Government in achieving its renewable energy targets”.

“Earlier this year we became the first airport in Australia to be recognised by the global Airport Carbon Accreditation program for optimising our management and reduction of carbon emissions. Adelaide Airport’s vision is to be a top tier airport business centre in the Asia Pacific region, and further improving our environmental credentials is a key part of this vision.”

The Adelaide Airport solar power system is an exciting project for the industry, said Solgen Energy Director, David Naismith. “This project further demonstrates the growing uptake of solar power as an integral part of any business’s energy mix, irrespective of industry.Working within Adelaide Airport’s site constraints we engineered a bespoke solution to solve the delicate balance of optimising power output, while delivering a robust business case.”

Mr Naismith added; “We’re excited about our partnership with Adelaide Airport to deliver a project that provides a cornerstone to the Airport’s environmental objectives showcased across 8,000 square meters of rooftop.”