By Sue-Ann Wayow
CONSTRUCTION of the solar park at the Piarco International Airport is about to begin.
Construction commences on Thursday at 12 noon and there will be a redirection of traffic flow at the airport’s exits.
The Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago in a public notice on Wednesday stated, “Persons are advised to proceed with caution, when exiting the airport. Observe directional signs and markers and comply with guidance from security officers.”
The Authority added, “We do regret any inconvenience and thank you for your kind cooperation as we work to upgrade our airport and build towards more energy efficient facilities.”
The sod-turning ceremony for the European Union-funded solar park was held on July 26 following a feasibility study conducted in 2018.
In December 2019, the Authority signed a contract for funding with the EU to undertake the Solar Park project under the Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+) flagship initiative, which helps the world’s most vulnerable countries to address climate change.
In May 2022, a contract was awarded to Sinohydro Corporation Limited for the construction of plant.
The 0.5 MW solar park has a minimum annual generation capacity of 767,034 kWh and the potential to avoid approximately 500 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
The power produced from the site is expected to contribute to the Authority’s current annual electrical consumption at the Piarco International Airport, with capacity for future expansion, a previous release stated.
