Half of the solar power generated will be used by Brussels Airport, increasing its own energy supply through solar energy from 4% to 9%. The other half is to be used by partners in this zone.
Installation began at the end of January. Solar panels are initially being added to the buildings used by Kuehne+Nagel, Worldwide Flight Services, Expeditors, Swissport and Herfurth. The panels are expected to generate 7,300 megawatt hours in green power. This is equivalent to the consumption of some 2,100 households.
“This new solar panel project is a major step in our ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions. It doubles the solar energy for our own use as an airport operator and also allows us to provide locally generated green power to our cargo partners, enabling them to further reduce their own carbon emissions,’ said Brussels Airport Company CEO Arnaud Feist.
Brussels Airport Company has been carbon neutral for its own emissions as an airport operator since 2018. Last year, it was decided to drastically accelerate the airport’s ambition to achieve net zero carbon, bringing it forward from 2050 to 2030.
Solar energy is an important element in achieving this ambition. Other potential locations for additional solar panels are still being explored. This first new installation should be ready by late May, so this green energy will be available in June. The ambition is to achieve 27MWp, which yields about 24,000 megawatt hours per year, by 2027.
