Commercial and industrial (C&I) renewable energy developer Greenvolt Next will build a 1.7 MW solar carport at Cork Airport, in the Republic of Ireland, which will be the largest solar carport in the country.
The project will consist of 3,696 solar panels and five inverters and will enter commercial operation in two phases: the first by summer this year and the second by August 2027. Greenvolt Next will design, build and commission the project, which is expected to meet a fifth of the airport’s electricity demand.
“This new solar carport will strengthen Cork Airport’s sustainability credentials and is an important part of the airport’s overall sustainability strategy,” said Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Transport and Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, who was speaking at an event at Cork Airport to commemorate the signing of contracts for the project.
O’Brien added that the project will receive €2 million in government funding under the Regional State Airports Sustainability Programme, which was launched in February this year and will deliver almost €45 million in capital investment for “connectivity” and “regional development” at Irish airports between now and 2030. The government plans to invest €9 million this year alone.
Developers are increasingly interested in installing solar projects at airports across the British Isles; last year, London Stansted Airport has selected EDF Renewables to build and operate a new 14.3 MW solar project on his property. In recent years an increasing number of airports in the British Isles have relied on solar projects to meet a significant portion of their energy demand, including Farnborough Airport And London Southend Airport.
Gino Gautier, global CEO of distributed generation at IPP Greenvolt Group, of which Next is part, said the company’s work at Cork Airport would allow the airport to be “more resourceful, have more control and operate a more reliable infrastructure.”
