Airport triples rooftop solar capacity to take self-generation to new heights

Adelaide Airport, the fifth largest airport in Australia, has unveiled plans to nearly triple the size of rooftop solar capacity, with the addition of another 3,700-plus panels on its domestic and international terminal buildings. The new 2.3MW solar will be installed by Iberdrola Australia and adds to an existing 1.28MW of PV, 1.17MW of which is installed on the airport’s short-term carpark.

The solar carpark system, completed in mid-2016, added to the small terminal rooftop array that was installed in 2007, and took total capacity up to 1.28MW, supplying around 10 per cent of the airport’s electricity needs.

Adelaide Airport’s electricity already comes from 100% renewables – largely through offtakes from the three Lake Bonney wind farms – but the additional rooftop system means more self-generated, super cheap solar.

“The project will result in Adelaide Airport exceeding our target to self-generate 15 per cent of our airport precinct electricity needs from onsite renewable energy,” said managing director Brenton Cox.

“Our purpose is to proudly connect and shape South Australia, our vision is to be everyone’s favourite airport and sustainability is a core feature of our strategic plan.

“Cost effective, renewable energy is important for the long-term sustainability of our organisation and our partners,” Cox says.

At the time of its installation, Adelaide Airport’s 1.17MW rooftop solar system was Australia’s largest airport solar installation, but that record has since been shattered by larger airports across the country.

Adelaide Airport lost out to Brisbane Airport in 2019 when a 5.725MW installation was brought online in 2019 – consisting of nearly 21,000 solar panels spread across six sites including ground-mounted panels and rooftop installations.

Brisbane Airport is also currently building on this achievement, installing another 5,000 solar panels atop its international terminal roof and carpark.

But depending on the definition of an “airport solar installation”, Melbourne Airport currently beats allcomers with a 12MW facility located at Oaklands Junction under the approach to the north-south runway.

Melbourne Airport began operating the 12MW facility in 2021, but in 2023 announced that it would begin constructing a second 7.5MW solar farm adjacent to the Oaklands Junction farm.

Together, the two solar farms are expected to generate 34GWh of electricity each year, providing approximately 40 per cent of the airport’s total electricity consumption needs.