Projects
Newcastle Airport Solar Farm

Newcastle Airport Solar Farm

Newcastle Airport is the largest airport in the North East of England, located about 6 miles northwest of Newcastle city centre. It serves as a major hub for domestic and international travel, connecting the region to key destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. Ranking as the 11th busiest airport in the UK, the airport handles around 5-6 million passengers annually. Newcastle International Airport has developed its own solar farm, making it one of the UK’s most sustainable regional airports. The project is part of the airport’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and achieving Net Zero status by 2035.

Officially opened in July 2023, utilising funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Newcastle International Airport Solar Farm phase one comprises over 6,000 solar panels with a capacity of 3MW. The solar farm is directly connected to the airport’s electricity supply, reducing reliance on external power sources. The solar farm is capable of generating enough energy to power around 20% of the airport’s electricity needs, with a further 13MW of power to be added.

Sector	Transport and Renewables
Customer/Developer	Vital Energi
End User	Newcastle Airport Solar Farm
Location	Newcastle
Scope of Work	3MVA 11kV/800V Wilson T2 Ecotrans® Distribution Transformer with RN2d

To assist Newcastle Airport's ambitious plan to be carbon neutral by 2035, we supplied a bepoke 3MVA 11kV/800V Wilson T2 Ecotrans® Distribution Transformer with MV switchgear to ensure a reliable connection and enable further plans to include a battery energy storage facility. The addition of BESS will allow Newcastle International Airport to sustain its power usage via renewable energy during less sunny periods and throughout the night. The solar farm is also screened from public rights of way by 8,300 newly planted trees in collaboration with the North East Community Forests project.