Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) has inaugurated its new solar farm along the eastern side of Runway 3 at Rome Fiumicino Airport. According to the airport, its 55,000 silicon panels make up the largest self-consumption photovoltaic system in a European airport, and one of the largest systems in the world within an airport perimeter.
Rome Fiumicino Airport’s solar farm
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, is made up of approximately 55,000 mono-crystalline silicon panels with a capacity of 22MWp, and will enable the airport to produce more than 30,000,000kWh of electricity per year.
This launch represents a step toward the airport reaching an installed power of 60MWp in the next five years, with the installation of additional solar farms within the perimeter of the current area. The airport says that 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.
In total, approximately €50m (US$52m) have been invested to implement the project, which is part of a portfolio of initiatives for renewable energy generation and sustainable mobility with a financial commitment exceeding €200m (US$207m).
ADR’s 2030 net-zero carbon goal
The solar farm, which will contribute to reducing the airport’s emissions by over 11,000 tons per year, is one of the most ambitious initiatives implemented by ADR. The airport operator aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions in 2030 – 20 years ahead of the industry’s target.
The infrastructure is part of the ESG strategy outlined by the group leader Mundys, whose objectives have been certified by SBTi (Science Based Target Initiative), in line with the aim of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. This is the most ambitious target envisaged by the SBTi protocol (currently adopted by few in the airport sector), and projects such as the photovoltaic system at Rome are integral to reaching this goal.
In addition to reducing the use of fossil fuels for the energy needs of airport operations, the new project is also to enhance energy independence and resilience to market volatility.
“The launch of the new solar farm strengthens our commitment to the green transition and decarbonization, with an infrastructure that is unique in the international airport landscape. The energy independence that this new project ensures for our five-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,” stated Marco Troncone, CEO of Aeroporti di Roma.
“The air transport sector offers several opportunities for research and development of innovative solutions for decarbonization, and Aeroporti di Roma has been at the forefront of this valuable endeavor for years. This photovoltaic plant proves how the energy transition can generate growth opportunities not only for in terms of business – but also for citizens, who will now benefit from an even greener and more innovative hub” stated Hon. Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Italy’s Minister of Environment and Energy Security.
“Aeroporti di Roma’s solar farm at Fiumicino airport represents an important milestone, especially considering the urgent further development in terms of capacity – for an infrastructure committed to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Today’s inauguration is also an opportunity to celebrate Italian leadership in this crucial sector. As a country, this kind of achievements motivates us to invest and persist with the research and development of increasingly effective and advanced technologies.”
“The construction of this plant confirms the ability of Aeroporti di Roma – a Mundys Group’s company – to build strategic infrastructures, while fully respecting the surrounding environment and significantly reducing emissions. The solar farm is a perfect example of how airport grounds can be optimized in their entirety to enable the airport’s sustainable growth. This is the core feature of the development plan envisaged for the airport, worth €9bn (US$9.36bn) in private investments, which ADR and Mundys are resolutely carrying forward. If implemented, the plan will demonstrate how an airport facility can coexist perfectly with the entire surrounding ecosystem, in a fully integrated way,” declared Giampiero Massolo, chairman of Mundys.
“The inauguration of this exceptionally large plant, the first in Europe and among the largest in the world, is a further significant step towards the reconciliation of air transport with the environment, strongly pursued by Enac,” commented Enac’s chairman, Pierluigi Di Palma.
“It is in line with European directives and the authority’s guidelines, which have simplified the authorization processes. As chairman of Enac and of PACTA Foundation’s Institutional Committee, I would like to thank ADR and CEO Marco Troncone for their concrete contribution to overcoming ideological prejudice against the sector; for this project, representing an example of the synthesis between public and private achieved by Enac; for supporting a cohesive Italian system capable of developing the sector in a pioneering way; for all the other actions – also presented during COP29 in Baku, last November.
“The Solar Farm at Rome Fiumicino airport, which is Italy’s showcase in the world, confirms the sustainability objectives that we have included in the new PNA (the National Plan for Airports), so as to reach the Net Zero Carbon Emissions objective already in 2030, 20 years ahead of the target. We are proud to see that the principles of sustainability guide the infrastructural growth of the sector, making Italian airports models of excellence also in terms of environmental sustainability.”
Speaking at the inauguration of the new plant, Francesca Gostinelli, head of Enel X Global Retail, added, “Throughout its long history, Enel has always looked to the future with optimism and pragmatism, providing customers with integrated solutions and innovations for the energy transition. Today, we are here to celebrate an ambitious achievement: the largest photovoltaic plant for self-consumption renewable energy generation within a European airport. This milestone demonstrates ADR’s growing commitment to energy efficiency and emissions reduction.”
In related news, Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) recently began offering passengers two digital services – AI-powered real-time flight updates via WhatsApp and a smart boarding service. Click here to read the full story.