SAS Energy pushes ahead on London Stansted airport’s solar farm

Construction is underway on London Stansted’s 14.3MW solar farm, the first of its kind at a London airport. The facility will be built and operated by SAS Energy, EDF power solution’s commercial and industrial solar division, on land owned by Stansted immediately to the east of the airport. Some 1500 of the total 24,000 panels have been installed to date.

The development, an integral part of the London Stansted’s £1.1bn transformation programme, is designed to meet the airport’s current and increasing electricity demands, including from the growing use of electric vehicles, and will support its commitment to make operations net zero carbon by no later than 2038.

The output of the farm at its peak, on the sunniest days of the year, will provide the equivalent energy consumed by around 6,000 homes, a similar number of households to the town of nearby Saffron Walden.

The project will also include the enhancement of biodiversity on site and the implementation of additional screening measures, such as the planting of trees, 750m of new hedgerows, a 19-hectare wildflower meadow and hedgerow reinstatement

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said, “It’s very exciting to see the solar farm really taking shape and this great progress means we are on track to complete the installation phase in early 2026 before it becomes operational later in the spring.

“Our partnership with EDF power solutions to deliver this ground-breaking project is another demonstration to our commitment to develop and grow London Stansted in the most responsible and sustainable way possible.

“Our ongoing transformation programme isn’t just focused on investing in new passenger services and extending the terminal building, it’s also about developing other innovative schemes such as the solar farm that will help us reduce and mitigate the impacts of growth.”

Malavika Bambawale, Chief Executive Officer at SAS Energy, said, “The project is a brilliant showcase for how renewable energy can support major national infrastructure, with London Stansted setting an excellent example of how organisations can advance towards net zero. Once complete, the solar farm will help reduce carbon emissions while providing long-term resilience against volatile energy costs.

“We are excited to see London Stansted powered by clean, green energy generated on site, and we are proud to be working together to achieve this.”