May 24 (Renewables Now) - Flughafen Wien AG (VIE:FLU), the operator of the Vienna Airport, has put into operation a 24-MWp solar park to power the Austrian capital's airport and the companies located there.

Built on an area of 24 hectares (59.3 acres), the solar park consists of 55,000 solar panels and is Austria's largest solar plant so far.

Together with the seven photovoltaic (PV) rooftop systems that have been in operation since 2016, the park is expected to generate more than 30 million kWh of green power per year which is enough to cover a third of the electricity consumption of the airport and the 250 firms located there. This corresponds to the annual power consumption of about 7,000 households.

On sunny days, the solar plants will be able to meet the entire electricity needs of the airport. To ensure more green power in unfavourable weather conditions, the facility will be expanded by a further 7 MWp this year.

Thanks to the solar plant, the carbon-neutral district heating, the use of electric vehicles and other carbon-reducing measures, Vienna Airport will be able to reach carbon neutrality in its operations in 2023.

Climate protection is a top priority for Vienna which seeks to become climate-neutral by 2040. Solar power plays a major role in the city's plans with a targeted installed capacity in the urban area of at least 250 MWp by 2025 and 800 MWp by the end of the decade, said Vienna's mayor Michael Ludwig.

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