Kenya Airport Launches 500 KW Solar Power Generation Facility

The solar facility will generate 820,000 kWh per year and will avoid at least 1,300 tonnes of CO₂ every year, Kenya airports authority said.

In a first for the African continent, Kenya’s Moi International Airport in Mombasa launched a ground-mounted 500kW solar power generation facility and mobile airport gate electric equipment project.

The solar facility will generate 820,000 kWh per year and will avoid at least 1,300 tonnes of CO₂ every year, Kenya airports authority said in a press release.

The solar-at-gate project will power aircrafts during ground operations which currently use their auxiliary power unit (APU) powered by jet fuel or airport ground power units (GPU) fueled by diesel to run on-board systems and cooling before departing for their next flight.

“It is not only a transformative development in the aviation sector of Kenya – and of the continent – but it is also an inspiring model of how such change can best be accomplished”, said Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

This pilot project was implemented as part of a €6.5 million initiative, entitled “Capacity Building for CO2 Mitigation from International Aviation”.

The project is implemented by ICAO and funded by the European Union and targets 14 States – 12 of them from the African region and two from the Caribbean region

“I would like to acknowledge the financial, technical and strategic support of ICAO and the European Union” Said Capt. Gilbert Kibe, Director General of Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

The inauguration ceremony was attended by more than 150 representatives from all ICAO Member States, including ICAO Council Members, representatives of international organizations and officials from Civil Aviation Authorities, airport authorities, and relevant stakeholders.