Farnborough Airport has completed one of the largest light-weight solar installations in the UK’s South East, enabling the airport to generate 25 per cent of its own power.

Over the past eight months, the innovative and extensive project has seen over 4,000 solar panels mounted on Farnborough Airport’s iconic curved hangar roofs, as well as on its terminal building, the airport control tower and its award winning 169 room hotel, the Aviator Hampshire. The installation will also enable the airport’s operational fleet of electric vehicles to be charged using self-generated electricity.

With the installation works now complete, in total it will deliver over 1,700kWp of installed capacity annually, generating over 1.2GWh of clean energy every year, propelling Farnborough Airport forward in its bold target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 or sooner. In total, the PV (photovoltaic) installation is expected to generate over 36GWh of energy in its lifetime and offset more than 5,000 tonnes of CO2.

The installation was carried out by solar power generation provider Solivus. With 40 per cent of large buildings such as aircraft hangars unable to take the weight of conventional solar panels, Solivus installed a lightweight solar solution to harness solar energy while minimising structural concerns and installation complexities.

Airport CEO Simon Geere comments: “In line with our ambition to become a sustainability showcase for airports around the world, we’re proud to have partnered with solar technology pioneer Solivus to install one of the largest rooftop solar projects in the region. The solar installation is a significant step towards achieving our sustainability objectives, significantly reducing our controllable emissions, as set out in our Net Zero Roadmap, in which we have committed to be Net Zero by 2030 or sooner.”

Solivus CEO Jo Parker-Swift adds: “Rooftop solar is crucial for decarbonising the built environment, but its application has often been constrained by the structural limitations of many commercial buildings. Put simply, traditional solar panels are too heavy for many rooftops. Our lightweight solar innovation addresses this issue, enabling large-scale, cost-effective solar deployment across nearly all large commercial buildings and sites.

“We are proud to have worked with Farnborough Airport to ensure the future supply of renewable energy, supporting the airport’s progressive net zero emissions journey.”