Rome's Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport has inaugurated Europe's largest airport-based solar farm. This €50 million project, developed in collaboration with Enel, is part of Aeroporti di Roma’s (ADR) broader €200 million investment in renewable energy and sustainable mobility. It features 55,000 solar panels with an initial capacity of 22MWp.
The initiative accelerates the airport's energy independence, providing the capacity to generate approximately 30GWh annually. Additionally, it is projected to reduce the airport's CO₂ emissions by over 11,000 tonnes annually, aligning with ADR’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2030.
Spanning 2.5km along the eastern perimeter of the airport, the installation utilizes previously unused land adjacent to Runway 3. This not only maximizes available space, but also ensures the project’s future scalability. ADR has already set plans in motion to triple the farm’s capacity within the next five years, aiming to expand to 60MWp. Once fully operational, it will generate the amount of electricity equivalent to powering approximately 30,000 Italian households.
Setting a new standard
All net zero projections indicate that the transportation sector will be one of the most challenging to decarbonize, due to the complexities of electrification and the transition to alternative fuels. As key hubs within this sector, airports have a crucial role in accelerating sustainable change in the short and mid-term.
This announcement serves as a benchmark for other airports – not just for the scale of the project, but for the bold commitment it represents. By aiming for net zero emissions by 2030, Fiumicino Airport is surpassing the aviation industry's target by two decades.
Beyond the aviation sector, this initiative may also influence national energy policy. Italy’s Minister of Environment and Energy Security has emphasized that similar underutilized lands – such as abandoned quarries or areas between highways and railway tracks – could be repurposed for renewable energy projects. "There are many lands in Italy that cannot be used for agriculture and that, instead, can be allocated for these types of projects,” he stated, underscoring the broader implications of Fiumicino’s approach.
