This week’s picture of the week highlights London Stansted Airport’s new solar farm, supporting renewable power generation and its long-term net zero ambitions.
London Stansted Airport (STN) has confirmed that its new on-site solar farm is now fully operational, marking what the airport described as a major milestone on its net zero journey.
The installation, described as the first of its kind at a London airport, has more than 24,000 panels. It was constructed by Onsite Power, the commercial and industrial (C&I) solar division of EDF power solutions, which will also operate the site. The solar farm is located on land already owned by Stansted Airport, immediately to the east of the airport.
Solar farm capacity and annual electricity output
The panels can produce up to 17.2 MW of direct current (DC) power. Once converted, the solar farm can generate up to 12.8 MW of usable alternating current (AC) power, which is supplied directly into the airport’s network. On the sunniest day, this enables the site to produce power equivalent to the airport’s peak demand.
Over a year, the solar farm is expected to generate enough electricity to meet the annual demand of 7,000 houses, a similar number to the households in the town of Saffron Walden.
The development forms part of Stansted Airport’s £1.1 billion transformation programme and has been designed to help meet current and increasing electricity demand, including demand linked to the growing use of electric vehicles. It will also support the airport’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its direct operations by no later than 2038.
Gareth Powell, Managing Director of London Stansted, said: “This is a significant milestone for London Stansted and a tangible demonstration of our commitment to a more sustainable future.”
The site was developed with biodiversity and the surrounding landscape in mind and will deliver a 160 per cent biodiversity net gain, including a 19-hectare wildflower meadow, more than 50 new Willow and Field Maple trees, hedgerow reinstatement and 750 metres of new hedgerows.
Powell said: “We’re also pleased that the project is expected to deliver biodiversity benefits, demonstrating that renewable energy generation and environmental enhancement can go hand in hand.”
Malavika Bambawale, CEO of Onsite Power, said: “This project demonstrates how airports and the wider commercial and industrial sector can use onsite renewable energy to improve energy resilience, reduce costs and decarbonise energy consumption.”
The solar farm is part of Stansted Airport’s wider investment and transformation programme, intended to ensure the airport can meet the needs of passengers and airlines while progressing its long-term environmental ambitions.
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