| Work Detail |
A new 482 kWp system installed at the International Cargo Terminal in 2023 expanded the airports solar generation last year. The airport had already been operating a 4,215 kWp plant since 2020.
Salvador de Bahia Airport, part of the VINCI Airports network, generated more than 7,000 MWh for its own consumption in 2023 with its solar energy installations, an average of 600 kWh/month. Compared to 2022, solar energy generation grew by more than 140 MWh, mainly driven by the installation, in December 2023, of a further 482 kWp on the roof of the International Cargo Terminal (TECA), the site where import and export goods and cargo are received, stored and dispatched by air. The airport has already had a 4,215 kWp plant in operation since 2020.
Currently, 100% of the Passenger Terminals operations are supplied by renewable energy, with 30% of consumption coming from the airports own solar plant and 70% from purchases on the free market. The use of renewable energy helped the airport avoid the emission of 625.05 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere last year alone, achieving an 87% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the start of the concession in 2018.
“For the 2024 balance sheet, we are projecting even greater figures for energy generation and self-sufficiency at the airport and a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions with the consolidation of this structure complementary to the solar plant that was installed in 2020,” says the airport’s Environment Manager, Alessandra Reis.
The airport also manages electricity consumption, seeking to reduce it through efficiency and prioritising solutions based on clean or less polluting sources. “We are constantly looking for solutions that reinforce our commitment to reducing polluting emissions, promoting sustainability in the national airport sector,” says Alessandra.
Last year, Salvador da Bahia Airport achieved, ahead of schedule, the target set by VINCI Airports to halve internal carbon emissions by 2030. The goal now is to reach net zero emissions (scopes 1 and 2) by 2050.
How TECA refuelling works
The power plant on the roof of the TECA International Cargo Terminal has an installed capacity of 482 kWp and four inverters with a total output of 370 kW. The system covers the entire surface of the terminal, which is approximately 3,540 square metres. TECA’s solar power generation system has the capacity to generate 63,420 kWh/month or 761 MWh/year, which corresponds to 102% of the terminal’s energy consumption. As a result, the entire terminal area is now supplied with clean, renewable energy.
As the solar energy generated by the plant exceeds local consumption, the surplus is injected into the electrical grid through the distributors delivery point and used to illuminate Patio 4.
The photovoltaic panels are certified as resistant to corrosion by ammonia and saltpeter (sea salt carried in suspension by the winds), which is important to ensure the durability of the equipment, especially considering the proximity of the airport to the seafronts of Salvador and Lauro de Freitas. The aluminum, stainless steel or galvanized steel structure for fixing the solar panels was manufactured specifically for photovoltaic energy system applications. |
