Liverpool John Lennon Airport agrees deal that will see work start on a £3m project to install a solar farm that will generate up to 3MW of power. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s £3m solar farm will be generating power by summer 2025.
Activ8 Energies in partnership with SSE Airtricity will design and install the facility on a 22-acre site to the east of the runway. It will generate up to 3MW and up to 25% of the airport’s current electricity demand.
LJLA first submitted plans for the solar farm, comprising thousands of panels, to Halton Council in 2022. However, planners refused permission claiming the airport had not provided evidence to demonstrate that the site formed part of its operational land.
This prompted the airport to appeal the decision to a Government planning inspector. In September 2023 it was announced that the appeal had been successful and the development could go ahead.
On sunny days during the summer months the airport hopes the facility will be a small exporter of surplus power to the local grid. This project is a key part of LJLA’s decarbonisation plan which lays out a path to net zero by 2040.
Andrew Dutton, head of environment and sustainability for LJLA, said: “We have been working hard minimising energy use and reducing our CO2 emissions through various initiatives for many years and this new solar farm is the next part of our journey
“Passengers flying in and out of the airport next summer will perhaps have the best view of this environmentally friendly renewable energy source for the airport helping us to further reduce carbon dioxide emissions.”
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Ciaran Marron, chief executive of Activ8 Energies, added: “We are excited to partner with Liverpool John Lennon Airport on this large scale solar farm project.
“This marks a significant step not only in supporting the airport’s sustainability goals but also in advancing our UK expansion plans.
“It is an excellent opportunity for Activ8 Energies to demonstrate our commitment to delivering sustainable energy solutions that help businesses reduce their carbon footprint and move towards a greener future.
“This partnership is a pivotal moment in our journey to drive meaningful change across the UK energy landscape.”