Lighting upgrades at MIA expected to lead to significant drops in energy consumption

Two planned power outages at Malta International Airport have allowed the company to modernise its electrical infrastructure as part of an investment in a more robust energy supply.

In parallel with works aimed at enhancing supply security, the company has also successfully completed major lighting upgrades, which will contribute to a significant reduction in energy consumption and lowered CO2 emissions.

While several locations around Malta International Airport, including the main car park, have benefitted from LED switchovers in the past months, the most noteworthy improvements have been carried out on the airfield.

The new centre lights on Runway 13-31 are expected to consume 77 per cent less energy than the previous system, while newly installed floodlights will illuminate Apron 9 at a fraction of the wattage of the old system.

“I would like to thank the teams and stakeholders involved in the timely execution of these upgrades, which will allow us to continue improving the guest experience as well as honour our pledge of operating in a more environmentally responsible manner,” said Malta International Airport CEO Alan Borg.

Having had an energy-saving programme in place for the past years, Malta International Airport is no stranger to such lighting upgrades and the gradual replacement of existing equipment with more energy-efficient alternatives.

These green initiatives, coupled with the generation of more than 927,000 kWh of clean energy from the airport’s PV panels, led the company to report a drop in its energy consumption for 2019 when compared to 2018, despite an increase of 7.4 per cent in passenger numbers.

As a signatory to Airports Council International’s NetZero 2050 Resolution, Malta International Airport remains committed to continue its drive towards carbon-neutrality for emissions under its control. Having recently issued a call for offers for the supply of a 750 kWp PV system to be installed at the airport’s new multi-storey car park – Park East, Malta International Airport is eyeing a further increase in its clean-energy generation capacity.