Another step forward for Kenya in protecting the environment and against pollution: Daniel Arap Moi Airport in Mombasa is the first on the African continent to be equipped with a solar panel system that will significantly reduce the use of electricity and consequently carbon dioxide emissions.
The 500kW on-ground solar power plant will help reduce at least 1,300 tons of carbon emissions by providing air conditioning and electricity to aircraft during ground operations.
The Director General of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Gilbert Kibe, said that the initiative is part of a plan to develop the airports of Africa (12 countries concerned, of which Kenya is the pilot project).
"This project will make a big difference in the way we consume energy in our airport - said Kibe - Our goal is, among others, to operate at zero emissions by 2020.
At present, aircraft use their own auxiliary power unit powered by jet fuel or airport ground units powered by diesel to operate the onboard and cooling systems before departing for the next flight.
"It is not only a transformative development in the Kenyan and Continental aviation sector, but also an inspiring model of how this change can best be achieved," confirmed Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, Chairman of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
This pilot project was implemented by ICAO and funded by the European Union (EU) as part of a €6.5 million initiative entitled "Capacity Building for CO2 Mitigation from International Aviation".

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator