Solar Upgrade

Timing: Completed December 2018

Investment: $11 million

Construction jobs: 40+ 

As part of our commitment to renewable energy, Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) is investing $11m in a major Solar PV project across six sites on airport.

When complete the innovative project will deliver:

• The largest rooftop solar panel installation at an Australian airport and the largest commercial rooftop solar system in the Southern Hemisphere.
• A 6MW system, consisting of about 22,000 panels spanning an area of 36,000 square metres or more than twice the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
• Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal alone will support 1.8 MW with about 6,500 panels covering more than 22,000 square metres. 
• Electricity is one of the most significant expenses to running Brisbane Airport with dozens of large buildings requiring cooling, lighting and heating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• Since 2012 BAC has had an extensive energy reduction program in place resulting in the completion of 40 projects which collectively save more than 8 GWh per year.
• Once fully operational, the new solar system will account for 18 percent of BAC’s direct electricity consumption, or six percent of total consumption, further complementing the savings being made through air conditioning control optimisation, lighting control upgrades and LED technology within BAC buildings, car parks and street lighting.
• The solar energy generated per year at BAC is equivalent to powering over 1,700 Australian homes for a year, with carbon offset equal to planting over 50,000 trees or taking 1,500 cars off the road each year.