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Toulouse-Blagnac airport has begun producing renewable energy, with the installation of solar panels on the roof of car park P2.
Passengers taking off from the runways of Toulouse-Blagnac are sure to notice that the roof of car park P2 is now covered with solar panels. These 3,633 panels will produce the equivalent of the building’s electricity consumption.
This construction, chosen by the French Energy Regulatory Commission during its national tender process, is Toulouse-Blagnac airport’s first venture in renewable energies. Created in partnership with Legendre Energie (a company in the Legendre group), the solar power plant is part of the airport’s CSR policy to control carbon emissions.
“This power plant will allow the car park to produce energy comparable to the amount it requires to function. This is a first step in the field of renewable energies. It is also our contribution to Occitania’s ambition to become the first energy-positive region in Europe by 2050,” explains Jean-Michel Vernhes, Chairman of the Board of ATB.
Launched in early July, the works conducted by Armorgreen took five months and required the installation of anti-reflection glass on the panels, which are designed not to cause problems for airplane pilots. Legendre Energie will operate the power plant for 20 years.
The construction of the solar power plant is a continuation of older commitments to renewable energies: since 2015, the airport has used electricity from 100% renewable energy supplies. In 2018, the airport will conduct two other major energy transition projects, initiated last year: HyPort, launched by the Occitania region (development of hydrogen power in the airport zone), and DEMETER, a project from Toulouse Métropole and Airbus (reduction of carbon emissions, ATB is in charge of the section on road congestion and modes of transport used by airport zone employees).
The aim is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2020, as part of the Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme from ACI Europe (Airport Council International). The next major challenge for the airport in its commitment to control its carbon emissions.