Flughafen Wien, the operator of Vienna International Airport in Austria, has announced that it will construct one of the biggest photovoltaic facilities in the country as part of a €16m (US$16.8m) cargo center expansion project.
The project will enlarge the airport’s Air Cargo Center by a third – the equivalent of more than 160,000ft². As it stands approximately half of the air cargo at Vienna Airport is transported on scheduled passenger flights, whereas the remaining cargo volume is transported by dedicated cargo aircraft. As such, the development will significantly enhance the airport’s freight and logistics capabilities.
Once the external building is complete, Flughafen Wien will look to install a new rooftop photovoltaic electricity generating facility, which will double the airport’s solar capacity. In mid-2016 the operator installed approximately 2,000 solar modules on the rooftops of two other airport buildings covering a total area of more than 50,000ft². Construction of solar facility and expansion of the cargo hanger is expected to be completed before the end of 2017.
Günther Ofner, management board member for Flughafen Wien, said, “The expansion of our Air Cargo Center should further improve our good market position as a transshipment point for air cargo. At present about 800 tons of freight are handled daily at the airport, or about 280,000 tons annually, showing a clear upward trend.
“These investments are designed to generate further growth potential at the airport site and for the Austrian economy, but above all to create new jobs in the logistics sector.”
Written by Dan Symonds