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Sunshine Coast Airport has unveiled its first major solar initiative, with more than 320 solar panels now attached to the terminal roof.
The new 190.24 kW system, described as “a significant step towards the airport’s goal of achieving 50 per cent renewable energy use by 2030”, will reduce energy consumption in the terminal by 17 per cent and help Sunshine Coast Airport meet its scope 2 emissions targets, CEO Chris Mills said.
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“Harnessing solar energy is a crucial step on our sustainability journey. This project will help reduce our carbon footprint and lower the airport’s energy consumption,” he said.
“All energy generated through the rooftop solar will be used to power the main terminal and there is room to grow the project following the future domestic terminal expansion.
“By implementing solar power, we are contributing to a cleaner environment and progressing our greener buildings infrastructure initiative.”
According to Mills, the solar project is part of a broader push for more sustainability initiatives at the airport, including new waste management and recycling programs, environmental offsets and management of “ecologically significant areas within the airport precinct”.
“Projects and initiatives like solar and waste diversion will become increasingly important as the airport continues to grow,” he said.
“These are all important projects and the airport is focused on finding new and innovative opportunities to advance our environment and sustainability initiatives.”
Sunshine Coast is among numerous airports in Queensland and around the country embracing more use of solar and other renewable energy projects.
Cairns Airport in March 2024 pledged to switch to 100 per cent renewables from early 2025, while Queensland Airports Limited is now using entirely renewable power for Gold Coast and Townsville Airports as of 1 January, and Brisbane also made the switch on New Year’s Day.
“From midnight [on 1 January], our renewable power purchase agreement kicked in with Stanwell, providing up to 185 GWh of renewable backed wind and solar energy per year from regional Queensland. This is a milestone moment,” Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said in January.
“It means renewable backed power will operate everything from the systems you use at check-in, baggage conveyors, air conditioning, departure screens, escalators, electric ground services equipment, right through to the runway lights that guide your aircraft safely into the sky.”
Adelaide Airport last year also moved to nearly triple its rooftop solar capacity, a project which was completed in March this year.
