GRANT support almost €2million has been awarded to Shannon Airport in a bid to bolster sustainability at the Mid West transport hub.
The funding was announced by James Lawless TD, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, under the new Regional State Airports Sustainability Programme.
Under the funding round, the Minister confirmed a grant of €1.9million for Shannon Airport. The allocation was part of a wider €4.2m announcement to support sustainability Shannon and Cork airports.
Welcoming the news, Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine said that the investment would be “invaluable in supporting two projects under our sustainability strategy, our solar PV farm and the upgrade of our water system”.
“The strategic location of the solar farm within our airfield will allow the airport to decrease its reliance on energy from the national grid, decrease its use of fossil-fuels, and increase its capacity for on-site renewable electricity generation,” she said.
“When complete and operating at full capacity, the solar farm will provide up to 15-20 per cent of the airport’s current electrical demand from renewable energy.”
Ms Considine said that the funding would allow Shannon Airport “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 50 per cent by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050” as well as “augment our efforts to implement innovative solutions that enhance energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and promote sustainable practices throughout our operations”.
The announcement came as Ms Considine met with Minister Lawless last week. It is understood that among discussion topics was the passenger cap at Dublin Airport.
Ms Considine informed the Minister that Shannon Airport, which currently handles just over two million passengers per year, stands ready to accept up to five million.
The Shannon boss noted that the airport could facilitate up to 10 million passengers with an upgrade to the current terminal.
