Under the agreement, ASE along with its local construction partner, Absolute Solar & Wind will build approximately 9MW of solar PV, 1.5MW of battery storage and 40 EV charging points. The large ground-mounted solar PV system and battery will be situated next to the runway on a 16-acre plot of land, connected to the airport via a high voltage private wire network.

The development will be a cornerstone of Edinburgh Airport’s goal to achieve Net-Zero by 2040 by generating clean, renewable energy that will cover about 30% of the airport’s total consumption.

Gordon Dewar, Edinburgh Airport’s chief executive, said: “Our commitment to a net zero future is underpinned by the various strands of work we have going on across the airport as part of our Greater Good sustainability strategy and one of the most visible projects will be this solar farm. We are happy to confirm our partners in this exciting step and our collaboration will enable us to implement this technology and allow us and Scotland to benefit from it as soon as possible.”

The project is in the late stage of design, with construction planned to start this summer and be fully operational by the start of next year.

Andrew Gould, executive chairman of ASE, added: “We are really pleased to be partnering with Edinburgh Airport on this important step towards a net-zero future and in support of its impressive ‘Greater Good’ sustainability strategy. Edinburgh Airport’s leadership shows a way forward to zero carbon for the airport sector. This is the first of ASE’s five renewable energy projects in Scotland to reach the delivery stage: the commitment and support of the Scottish Government and its strong policy position on climate change is clearly attractive to international investment.”

Edinburgh Airport will purchase the power produced by the solar farm through a long-term Power Purchase Agreement with ASE. This PPA will generate long-term energy and carbon savings for the airport.

Matthew van Staden, senior PPA originator at Hartree Partners, commented: “We are delighted to support Edinburgh Airport with its ongoing drive to reduce its carbon impact. Through our expertise within Hartree and AMPYR Solar Europe, we can drive and deliver innovative energy solutions for companies within energy-intensive sectors. Our understanding of sustainable generation and commercially viable strategies in this space helped bring this project to life for Edinburgh Airport.”

The construction is further supported by the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme, which have provided a grant for a portion of the capital expenditure.