iscover
Adelaide Airport will nearly triple its rooftop solar capacity with more than 3,700 new panels.
The airport is set to install a new 2.3MWp (megawatt peak) photovoltaic solar system, which it says would provide enough energy to power 1,000 homes per year, on the domestic and international terminal roof. It will add to the existing solar panels on the roofs of the terminal and multi-storey car park.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
“This solar system will significantly increase Adelaide Airport’s cost-effective renewable energy generation,” said Adelaide Airport managing director Brenton Cox.
“The project will result in Adelaide Airport exceeding our target to self-generate 15 per cent of our airport precinct electricity needs from onsite renewable energy.
“Our purpose is to proudly connect and shape South Australia, our vision is to be everyone’s favourite airport and sustainability is a core feature of our strategic plan. Cost-effective, renewable energy is important for the long-term sustainability of our organisation and our partners.”
The panels will be installed in partnership with Iberdrola Energy, which already aids Adelaide Airport in sourcing all its energy from renewables, including the existing solar panels and Iberdrola’s Lake Bonney wind farms.
Ross Rolfe, CEO of Iberdrola, said the current power purchase agreement (PPA) has helped the airport meet its sustainability goals.
“The combination of initiatives being pursued – including the rooftop solar and 100 per cent renewable retail energy contract provided by Iberdrola Australia – show their deep commitment to decarbonisation and energy efficiency,” he said.
“They are demonstrating that a bright future is possible for Australia’s airports.”
Sustainability has become an increasing focus for airports as the industry looks to reduce its carbon footprint. Cairns Airport earlier this year signed a deal to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy from 2025, while Brisbane last March became the first in Australia to achieve Airport Council International’s Level 4 Airport Carbon Accreditation.
As the only institutionally endorsed global airport carbon management certification program, Airport Carbon Accreditation independently assesses and certifies airports’ efforts to manage and cut back on carbon emissions. It measures airports’ efforts across six levels, starting at level 1, “Mapping”, and moving up to level 4+, “Transition”.
Newcastle is the only other Australian airport to have achieved Level 4: Hobart and Sunshine Coast are at level 3+, “Neutrality”, while Adelaide, Darwin, Melbourne, Parafield and Sydney are at level 3, “Optimisation”; Broome, Gold Coast, Mount Isa, Perth, and Port Hedland are at level 2, “Reduction”; and Longreach and Townsville are at level 1, “Mapping”.
