Next Wednesday (22OCT25), Rhine-Main operator, Fraport AG, will commission 37,000 photovoltaic modules. They are prominently displayed in 2,800-meter-long rows along the Runway West. An eye-catcher for all passengers departing from Frankfurt Airport. This is because the panels are arranged vertically and not placed at an oblique angle like conventional systems. They are intended to supply a significant proportion of the electrical power required by the airport for everyday use.
The airport is taking the next step in decarbonizing its operations. As of next Wednesday, 37,000 solar modules will supply electric power, feeding Fraport’s power grid. The starting signal for this mega-project in solar energy provision will be given jointly by Fraport CEO, Stefan Schulte, and Hesse’s Minister of Transport and Economics, Kaweh Mansoori. Both will be accompanied by numerous VIPs and media representatives attending the event.
Combining two sources
According to project manager, Nicole Keller, once activated, the panels will achieve a capacity of 17,400 kW. This is a tenfold multiple of the solar power produced by modules already existing on the roofs of warehouses, terminals, and office buildings.
Since the modules are installed vertically, “they are alternately sunlit from two sides, in the morning from around 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and in the afternoon on the opposite side from 1:00 p.m. until the evening hours,” illustrates Nicole. Only at midday, when the sun is directly above the plant, the yield is lower, she adds. But that is when other photovoltaic panels, already installed on the top of buildings, generate their highest output. “By combining these two sources, we have a steady flow of solar energy throughout the entire day,” she concludes. This is especially true for the months from April to September, when, according to long-term climate data, the sun shines 7.3 hours per day in Frankfurt. Including fall and winter, the annual average is 4.7 hours.
Fleet of e-vehicles continues to grow
Overall, Rhine-Main’s energy requirements are very high as they are at airports of comparable size. Fraport provides a stable electric power grid for 560 companies belonging to its own group. They require 312 million kWh of electricity annually for the supply of terminal buildings, ensuring runway lighting, charging their own electric fleet of 806 vehicles, powering fire stations, among other things. There are 90 charging stations within the airport that can operate bidirectionally. This means that vehicles can not only charge electricity but also feed it back into the grid. This turns e-vehicles into mobile power storage devices. Due to its huge dimension and the rather unusual vertical solar walls, the project has already attracted a great deal of attention since the first panel was installed in FEB24. Managers from all major German airports showed up to get an impression and first-hand information. As did international delegations – for example from Brussels Airport and Singapore, driven by curiosity.
Protecting wildlife
Fraport’s Flora and Fauna team had a major say in the scheduling and construction of the photovoltaic walls, stresses Nicole Keller. This was because ground-nesting birds could not be disturbed during the breeding season. It mostly affected the field lark, which enjoys a high population density at greenfield. The same applies to smaller reptiles and amphibians, for which the meadows are an ideal habitat because they are undisturbed by people and predators. To protect their populations, the planning and construction of the PV system took two years, as work was paused twice for six months during the breeding periods from spring to fall.
More e-walls on the horizon
To store unused energy, Fraport intends to purchase high-performance storage systems. The large units will be accommodated in special containers that are frost and heat resistant. Also, airport management is already considering building a similar PV wall parallel to the north-west runway. When asked about the cost of the current project, Fraport officials remained tight-lipped. Even repeated inquiries voiced by CargoForwarder Global did not change their stance.
