Passengers will be flying in over the facility’s new solar farm in the future as the airport sets sustainability targets

Edinburgh Airport has announced that it will construct an eleven-acre solar farm on the airfield becoming the first of its kind for a Scottish airport.

Construction will begin later this year, with the site becoming operational from next summer, promising to deliver around 26% of the facility’s energy needs.

The project has received a £2m investment from the Scottish government with the deal including solar power being delivered back into the national grid when more energy is produced than is required by the airport.

The solar farm is a major part of the airport’s wider strategy for a more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable future with four key pillars set out to achieve this:

Working in partnership to improve the approach to climate change and use zero carbon across the business, creating an airport to showcase the best of Scotland whilst delivering the best passenger experience possible, working with its people, passengers and partners to create a business with integrity and involving nearby communities to share the benefits of sustainable growth and mitigate negative impacts.

The aim of this strategy is to achieve carbon neutrality for direct emissions (those emissions that are from sources owned or controlled by the airport) by 2024, establishing a sustainability standard as well as cleaner engine standards.

The airport has been working on some of these projects already including purchasing 100% renewable electricity since 2018, diverting all waste from landfill, paying all staff the Real Living Wage and its commitment to the Modern Slavery Act.

At a time when UK airports are being hampered by government travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Edinburgh Airport says that aviation is a force for good in Scotland. It’s a significant employer and directly supports tourism, universities, business and culture, making a major contribution to the economy.

Graeme Dey, Scottish Government minister for transport, said: “I’m delighted to learn of the heartening efforts of Edinburgh Airport to reduce their emissions. illustrates how government and the aviation industry can work together to help achieve Scotland’s ambitious climate change targets. Together, we can look to create a future in which we enjoy the social and economic benefits of air travel without having an impact on the environment.”