The new 16 megawatt self-production and self-consumption photovoltaic park was inaugurated today at the Athens International Airport, in the presence of the Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilia and the Secretary General of Energy and Mineral Raw Materials Alexandra Sdoukou.

This is the largest self-production unit in Greecewhich, already today, produces approximately 45% of the airport company’s annual consumption.

The production of the facility, amounting to 27,500 megawatt hours per year, corresponds approximately to the consumption of 6,650 households.

By 2046, the operation of the new 16 megawatt facility will sequester 71,500 tons of carbon dioxide, an amount equivalent to a forest the size of the airport (16,000 acres).

The project is part of Athens International Airport’s dynamic strategy of sustainable development and environmental responsibility, in particular the “Route 2025” goal, a total investment of around 100 million euros, announced by the company in 2019.

At the same time, this investment and the ROUTE 2025 program are practical evidence of the dedication and commitment of the AIA, as a pillar of the city’s tourism product, to contribute to the promotion of Athens not only as a top tourist destination, but also as a top sustainable destination for the residents and visitors of the city.

Combined with the first 8 MW photovoltaic plant operating since 2011 (which conventionally produces for the public grid) and the new 16 MW self-generation, 2/3 of AIA’s required electricity needs are produced from renewable sources within the airport .

This fact makes Athens International Airport a pioneer – perhaps even unique – among airports in Europe and internationally.

Completion of the next phase in 2025, estimated at an additional 45 megawatts of PV, will ensure the production of 100% of AIA’s electricity needs for each year until 2046, maximizing self-consumption using battery storage units.

The AIA has already submitted the relevant applications, both to the RAE and to other competent agencies.

For their part, both the Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias and the General Secretary of Energy and Mineral Raw Materials Alexandra Sdoukou gave credit to the people who ran and implemented “the green” goal, they spoke of an emblematic project, which also aligns with the European course but also with the Greek government’s policy and vision for green development

The President of Athens International Airport, Richardos Lampiris, stated that the airport was from the beginning among the pioneers of innovation and sustainability and added that “this park is a very important step towards fulfilling our goal of zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2025 ».

The CEO of Athens International Airport, Yannis Paraschis, said “The new 16 megawatt solar park is practical proof of our company’s commitment to the ambitious goal we announced in December 2019 of net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2025. Despite the extremely critical conditions our industry has faced over the past three years, and while we were still waiting for the framework for self-production and storage – which was only recently completed – we proceeded with the phased implementation of the project, so that no time was lost towards our strategic goal, “Route 2025”.

Our effort and persistence paid off and today we are pleased to inaugurate the largest self-production unit in Greece, an investment that strengthens with its significant footprint, the identity of Athens as a sustainable destination».

It is noted that overall from 2005 to 2021, AIA has achieved a reduction of its footprint by over 60%, despite the significant increase in passenger traffic, through a series of interventions in the airport’s operations and infrastructure.

However, it is worth mentioning that AIA remains the only airport in Greece with a Carbon Neutral Balance and has received the relevant certification of the Airport Carbon Accreditation program of the International Airport Council of Europe (Airports Council International – Europe) from 2016.

In 2019, the AIA committed to achieving NetZero Carbon without offsets by 2025 – well ahead of the 2050 target announced by European airports.

Athens Airport’s highly ambitious “Route 2025” initiative aims to self-produce clean energy within the airport through photovoltaics for self-consumption, to cover 100% of its electricity needs, which corresponds to approximately 90% of the carbon footprint the company’s.