Kaunas Airport which belongs to the network of Lithuanian Airports announced market consultations and is currently starting to consider the opportunities to instal a solar power plant within the territory of the airport. The representatives of the airport state that the energy generated by solar power plant would in the future assist Kaunas Airport in decreasing the expenses for electricity, guarantee a more efficient operation and would also contribute to promoting green energy within the country.
According to the Director of Kaunas Airport Karolis Matulaitis, so far Lithuanian Airports are executing market consultations and are looking for the most suitable variant in order to implement the solar energy plant project.
It is announced in the consultation of the Lithuanian Airports with market participants that the contractor should install a solar power plant within the territory of the airport, while the airport would undertake the liability to acquire the electricity produced by it. It is planned that the total capacity of the power station (preliminary) could be from 250 kW. It is envisaged that a potential supplier would be responsible for design, installation, legalisation and launching of the power station, while the contract expected to be signed with such supplier would be for the duration of 10 years.
“Due to the platform which is operated during the dark part of the day as well as the lights of the runway most of the electricity is consumed by the airport at night, nevertheless, during the day time the premises are also conditioned or cooled, various devices are being operated as well as baggage control system and the lighting are used. The electricity costs comprise the biggest share in the costs for the utilities of the airport, therefore, it is only natural that we are looking for the most efficient cost management solutions. That is especially relevant following the forecasts, which indicate an increase in the prices of electricity in the future, thus, we are making attempts to fix the price in the lower level and to control our costs this way”, as K. Matulaitis commented.
According to the Director of the airport, saving up the costs would also be ensured by the fact that no regular lawn moving would be necessary within the territory where the power station would be installed. It is expected that in the future the solar power plant would occupy a territory from 3 to 5 hectares, and it would be supervised by the contractor.
“We aspire to ensure that such project would be implemented without any investments of the airport or at least they would be kept to a minimum and they would be allocated for adjustment of the territory only. Such models are rather successfully developed in the market; thus, we would also try to develop one within the territory of Kaunas Airport”, claimed K. Matulaitis.
According to K. Matulaitis, by making such steps, which are small ones at the first glance only, the airports are contributing to the development of independence of the state in the energy field, conservation of the natural resources and at the same time achievement of the objective of the airport to decrease the emissions of CO2.
It should also be reminded that there are solar collectors on the roof of the new VIP terminal with the conference centre at Vilnius Airport. They also assist in decreasing the costs of exploitation of the building and contribute to the conservation of the environment.
About Kaunas Airport
Kaunas Airport belongs to the network of Lithuanian Airports, which is composed of Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga Airports. 6.5 million of passengers were provided services and 62 thousand of flights were executed in these airports in 2019.