site.btaEnvironment Pillar Is Most Important for Sofia Airport - Airport CEO

The environment pillar is the most important for Sofia Airport, along with the social pillar, its CEO Jesus Caballero Pinto told a high-level conference in Sofia on SMEs, social economy enterprises, crafts, liberal professions: opportunities and challenges of the green transition. It was organized by the European Economic and Social Committee and the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association.

BTA is a media partner of the forum. 

Jesus Caballero said that an airport is a source of carbon emissions through its normal activities. A second source of emissions are the companies and people around the airport. The third source are emissions from the aircraft and their operators. The electricity used by the airport accounts for about 80% of the first two sources of emissions, he said. That is why Sofia Airport is planning to commission this country's largest solar farm, which will reduce emissions by 80% and protect the airport from the surge in electricity prices. There are also plans to use batteries to store the excess energy generated in the daytime so it can be used in the nighttime. 

Another source of emissions is the air conditioning of the buildings, Jesus Caballero added. The plan is to use geothermal energy for both heating and cooling. 

Still another planned measure is to increase the thermal efficiency of the terminals.