Green light for solar farm at Shannon Airport

Shannon Airport is set to become home to Ireland’s first solar farm to be located within an airfield.

The Shannon Airport Group, which owns and operates Shannon Airport, has been notified by Clare County Council of their decision to grant permission for the installation of a 1.2MW Photovoltaic Solar Farm within the airfield at Shannon Airport.

When complete and operating at full capacity, the solar farm is intended provide up to 15-20% of the Airport’s current electrical demand from renewable energy.

The project will also provide for below-ground electrical infrastructure from the solar array in the airfield back to the main airport terminal building, enabling the energy generated to be used directly on site.

This sustainable use of existing land is one of the key projects included in the Group’s Sustainability Strategy, as it works towards its commitment of reaching its climate targets of a 51% greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.

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Commenting on the project, Ray O’Driscoll, Chief Operating Officer at The Shannon Airport Group said: “We are pleased to be progressing to the next stage with our plans for the development of a solar farm at Shannon Airport.

“The strategic location of the solar farm within the airfield itself will allow the airport to decrease its reliance on energy from the national grid, decrease its use of fossil-fuels and increase its capacity for on-site renewable electricity generation.

“As we work towards our commitment of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, further use of renewable energy will be essential, and we remain committed to investing in smart and innovative infrastructure to ensure we can meet our energy efficiency targets.”