Photo: Athens International Airport / LinkedIn
Published
December 29, 2025
Country
Greece
Author
Igor Todorović
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Published:
December 29, 2025
Country:
Greece
Author
Igor Todorović
Comments:
0
Print
Share
Following European and global trends, airports in Southeastern Europe are introducing resource, waste and wastewater management systems. Energy is the largest segment of the decarbonization push. With the completion of its Route 2025 program, Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos covered all its electricity needs with photovoltaics, becoming the only such airport in Europe.
In the groundbreaking project, the operator extended the existing solar power plant by 35.5 MW in peak capacity, reaching 51.5 MW, and added a battery energy storage system. The facility has 124 MWh in nominal capacity, of which 82 MWh is usable.
The hybrid system is the largest of its kind inside the fence of any airport in Europe, while the Greek press has even called it the largest in the world. Some of the world’s largest airports are set to follow soon. For instance, IGA Istanbul Airport is investing EUR 212 million in an external solar power plant of 199.3 MW, in Eskişehir.
AIA’s PV-BESS plant will generate an estimated 88 GWh per year, which is equivalent to the consumption of 22,000 households. The storage system is only for self-consumption. Importantly, the hybrid system can cover the entire planned expansion up to 2046, when the concession period ends.
AviAlliance, which controls 50.2% of the public-private partnership, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) from Canada. The government holds 25.6% through Superfund, officially Growthfund – The National Fund of Greece.
AIA launched Route 2025 six years ago, with the aim to cut net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by the end of this year. It compares to the 2050 net zero goal of the European airports sector.
The Route 2025 program was worth EUR 70 million
The investments totaled EUR 70 million. A significant portion was financed through loans from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the update adds.
Heat pumps have eliminated the need for natural gas in buildings at AIA in normal winter conditions. The electric vehicle fleet consists of 19 buses, 13 follow-me vehicles and 29 vans. A network of chargers also serves passenger cars.
“In the airport company, we operate on the basis of the principle that sustainability, and environmental responsibility in particular, are and will increasingly be prerequisites for what we call the social license to operate and grow,” said outgoing Managing Director of AIA Yiannis Paraschis.
As for other recent developments in the Balkans, operators of two airports in Romania received grants via the European Union’s Modernisation Fund for solar power plants with battery storage.
National Company Bucharest Airports (CNAB) signed a contract for RON 132.04 million (EUR 25.9 million) excluding value-added tax. It is for 12.6 MW in peak PV capacity and a BESS of 17.9 MWh at the Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport in Otopeni.
The entire investment amounts to RON 176.9 million (EUR 34.7 million) excluding VAT. The Romanian state-owned company said it is the first phase of a project for 31.5 MW and 30 MWh overall, valued at EUR 55.7 million.
Bacău International Airport George Enescu will build a solar power plant of 1.25 MW and a BESS of 2.06 MWh. Bacău County Council will also provide support for the on-site project on 2.2 hectares, worth more than EUR 4.9 million.
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29 December 2025 – Athens International Airport (AIA) has a PV plant of 51.5 MW with 82 MWh in energy storage, the largest such facility in Europe
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