Obstacle Assessment Accepted: Fraport AG to Install 17,4 MWp Photovolatics Along Departure Runway 18 "West"
March 2024 | Safety Assessment
Frankfurt Airport extends its photovoltaic capacities: a solar power plant with a peak output of 17.4 megawatts will be installed along 'departure runway 18 west'. The vertical installation (solar fence) will comprise 37,000 modules, which will rest on 19,500 foundation posts that are driven into the ground. Underlying vegetation areas are not significantly affected, as the system neither completely retains precipitation nor permanently shades the area. Project manager Nicole Keller reports: "This solar technology perfectly complements our flat conventional systems [... and] contributes to a fairly constant overall power output to our grid throughout the day." The manufacturer Next2Sun, which will also be responsible for the construction, speaks of the largest system of its kind in the world.GfL supported gaining the approval of the construction project under aviation law by providing expert opinions to determine the required lateral distance of the facility from the runway centerline in light of the EASA requirements for runway strip width and the technical characteristics of the PV plant itself.
With the approval being granted, construction work has already begun. However, Fraport AG will be taking a break from construction during the spring and summer months in order to protect ground nesting birds in the biodiverse green areas.
