New Zealand’s largest single solar array goes live

New Zealand’s largest single solar array goes live

New Zealand’s largest single solar array has been switched on today at Air New Zealand’s Technical Operations base at Auckland Airport.

The installation on the roof of one of the airline’s hangars comprises 480 solar panels covering an area of around 750 square metres, almost three tennis courts.

The array is expected to generate 160,000KwH of electricity each year, powering up to 30 per cent of the hangar’s electricity needs. Metering equipment has also been installed and will allow the airline to measure electricity consumption in real time.

Air New Zealand Chief Flight Operations and Safety Officer Captain David Morgan who has responsibility for sustainability for the airline says the company is continually looking at ways to reduce its energy consumption.

“We have been focussed for some time on energy reduction whether it be through installing metering technology so we can monitor usage across different sites or increasing awareness amongst our staff on consumption and cost. We are excited about the possibilities solar provides and hope to see some real energy savings through this array,” says Captain Morgan.

Air New Zealand set a target in FY11 to reduce electricity use by five percent per annum and has already significantly exceeded this goal, with around 25 percent savings in the programme to date.

About Star Alliance
Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. The integration of Avianca Brasil is currently in progress. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,316 airports in 192 countries.

For more information about Air New Zealand visit www.airnewzealand.com and for more information about Star Alliance visit www.staralliance.com

ENDS

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