Construction ready to start on 20-MW Glasgow Airport solar project

Glasgow Airport has completed the development phase and reached the financial close on a project to build a 19.9-MW solar farm on its own land next to Barnsford Road in Scotland.

Construction works are set to take place over the coming months, while completion of the first phase of the project is expected next summer, according to a statement released Monday

Net zero consultancy Ikigai Group funded and carried out the development of the GBP-18.5-million (USD 23.3m/EUR 21.3m) project. The facility will be built, owned and operated by Zestec, a solar developer owned by UK energy supplier Octopus Energy Group.

Spanning 40 acres, the ground-mounted solar farm is expected to produce enough electricity to power light for about 15% of homes in the city of Glasgow. It is described as the largest airport-based solar farm in Scotland.

“The development of the solar farm marks a key milestone in our sustainability journey by giving the airport the ability to generate clean energy on-site. This will advance our plans to decarbonise our own operations while supporting the net-zero ambitions of our airport partners and neighbours,” Ronald Leitch, operations director of Glasgow Airport, said.

Ikigai is already working with the airport on additional on-site energy solutions, including EV charging and solar-backed green hydrogen production.

(GBP 1 = USD 1.264/EUR 1.154)

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