New solar array planned for Teeside International Airport

A new solar array which could eventually deliver enough green electricity to power the equivalent of more than 17,000 homes has been announced as part of a new joint venture between SSE Energy Solutions and Teesside International Airport in the UK.

The first phase of the project is due to enter construction in early 2024 and will see up to 3MW of solar generation initially installed to meet airport and local demand.

Further phases of the project could ultimately deliver 50MW of capacity over the coming years, which could make it one of the biggest solar projects in the UK, capable of displacing over 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the electricity supply network each year.

In 2022, Teesside International Airport announced plans to make its operations net zero by the end of the decade through the decarbonisation of its buildings and infrastructure and development of sustainable aviation fuel production in the region.

There are also plans for the airport, with SSE, to install a new ultra-rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging hub powered by the solar array in line with the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority’s ambition to increase the number of public EV charging points in Tees Valley by 200% by 2025.

Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, said:  “This landmark agreement has the potential to deliver one of the biggest solar projects of its kind in the UK and will deliver our ambition to make the airport net zero.

“Indeed, it likely means the airport will be the first in the country to be carbon neutral.”