Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – has inaugurated a new solar farm at Rome Fiumicino Airport. It is the largest self-consumption photovoltaic system at a European airport, as well as one of the largest systems in the world within an airport perimeter.
The new infrastructure was designed by ADR and built by Enel in collaboration with Circet, following a European public tender after which the integrated contract was assigned. It extends for almost 2.5km and is made up of approximately 55,000 mono-crystalline silicon panels. With a capacity of 22 MWp, it will allow the airport to produce more than 30 million kWh of electricity per year.
“The launch of the new solar farm strengthens our commitment to the green transition and decarbonisation, with an infrastructure that is unique in the international airport landscape,” said Marco Troncone, CEO, Aeroporti di Roma. “The energy independence that this new project ensures for our 5-star airport will significantly reduce the environmental impact of our operations, in line with the sustainable development model that we have been building for years – a model representing the first and essential prerequisite for the growth of the airport, the region and the whole country.”
This launch represents a first, significant step towards the airport reaching an installed power of 60 Mwp in the next five years, with the installation of additional solar farms within the perimeter of the current area. Such capacity would be enough to satisfy the annual energy needs of 30,000 Italian households for an entire year, or – in terms of electric cars – to fully charge more than one million vehicles.
Approximately €50 million have been invested in total for the implementation of the project, which is part of a portfolio of initiatives for renewable energy generation and sustainable mobility with a financial commitment exceeding €200 milion.
The solar farm, which will contribute to reducing the airport’s CO2 emissions by over 11,000 tonnes per year, is one of the most ambitious initiatives implemented by ADR, in the context of its strong commitment to energy transition and decarbonisation, with the goal of reaching Net Zero carbon in 2030.
