Clean energy is at home at Southend Airport in Britain as almost 500 panels were installed at the new terminal building. The solar power plant is part of the £10million terminal extension that opened its gates in March and provided the airport with more check-in desks, a bigger departure lounge and a larger variety of shops for travelers. The 496 solar panels are there to provide the airport with green electricity for many years from now.

Clean energy provided by London airport

The airport operations director, David Lister, declared: “We are delighted to add the provision of clean solar electricity to a range of ‘green’ initiatives we’ve introduced as the terminal has developed. Environmentally friendly initiatives are very important to us and the whole building has been designed to incorporate a number of them, including sustainable drainage, specialist coating to improve insulation, extensive glazing to enhance natural lighting and slow start escalators.”

The solar panels are provided by Conergy and planted by Photon Energy on the terminal’s curved roofs. They will help the airport diminish the carbon emissions by approximately around 1,000 tons in the next 20 years.

Solar PV for Britain

The managing director of Photon Energy managing director, says that: “Solar is Britain’s favorite renewable energy and it’s great Southend Airport has shown its commitment to self-generation. You can’t necessarily see the panels from the ground, but millions of people will get a bird’s eye view of them as they take off or come in to land.”

He also believes that airport terminals are a perfect location for solar panels because the space they provide is more than enough for green electricity.

The Stobart Group invested more than £120million into the airport since they purchased it in 2008.