Up to a fifth of Cork Airport’s power will be provided by onsite solar PV, after it joined with Greenvolt Next to build Ireland’s largest solar-powered carport.
The project, expected to be completed in August 2027, has been grant-supported by the Department of Transport and Department of Climate, Environment and Energy.
Set to be located at the blue carpark, the 1.7MW carport will be rolled out in two phases. The first stage will happen before summer 2026, and the second stage will commence in September. Once complete, it is envisaged that the 3,696 solar panels and five inverters will generate 1.5 GWh of renewable energy each year for the airport.
Last year was the busiest year in the airport’s 64-year history with 3.46 million passengers travelling through it.
Speaking at Cork Airport, Minister for Transport and Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Darragh O’Brien TD said: “The project was supported with over €2 million in Exchequer funding under the Regional State Airports Sustainability Programme. This programme was developed in 2024 to support regional state airports to reach their carbon emission reduction targets and build resilience against climate change.”
Gino Gautier, Global CEO DG, Greenvolt Group, said: “At Greenvolt, we are committed to delivering projects that create positive impact and generate value for our clients, and this solar carport does exactly that by enabling Cork Airport to be more resourceful, have more control, and use more reliable infrastructure. Alongside that, it will also deliver tangible benefits not only from a financial but environmental perspective. We look forward to working with Cork Airport to both creating the largest solar carport in Ireland and future-proofing the aviation sector.”
Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director at Cork Airport, added: “We understand the need for more sustainable operations at airports, which is why Cork Airport is investing in Ireland’s largest solar carport today. We acknowledge the support of daa Group, the Department of Transport and the Department of Climate, Environment and Energy for making this exciting project happen. We will meet our 2030 energy reduction targets, and we are proud to confirm that.”