Frankfurt Airport has commissioned a 2.8-kilometer vertical photovoltaic system along Runway 18 West, comprising 37,000 modules with a 17.4-megawatt capacity. The installation generates up to 17.4 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, powering terminal air conditioning and the airport’s expanding electric vehicle fleet for all Fraport Group companies at the site.
Fraport CEO Dr. Stefan Schulte and Hessian Minister Kaweh Mansoori officially opened the facility by activating a transformer station lever. Schulte stated, “By 2045 at the latest, Fraport will be operating Frankfurt Airport under a Net Zero model, which means it will be carbon-neutral in terms of greenhouse gases. The main tool for achieving this goal is clear: the energy mix at our home base will come largely from renewable energy sources.”
The vertical east-west oriented panels capture sunlight during morning and afternoon hours, complementing rooftop and parking structure arrays that peak at midday for stable daily output. Currently, 90 percent of the airport’s electricity derives from green sources, including solar and wind power integrated since 2021.
From mid-2026, a Power Purchase Agreement with EnBW will supply 85 megawatts from the North Sea’s He Dreiht offshore wind farm, covering 100 percent of Fraport’s Frankfurt energy needs with renewables over a 15-year term. Next2Sun developed the vertical technology, coordinated with environmental authorities to protect local ecosystems during construction. Mansoori described the project as “a defining moment on the airport’s path towards a climate-friendly energy supply.” Fraport targets Net Zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions across all wholly-owned airports by 2045.