TAG Farnborough Airport’s Solar Schools Carbon Offsetting Programme Shines Bright

TAG Farnborough Airport is underscoring its ongoing commitment to sustainable development and carbon footprint reduction by supporting an exciting programme focused on solar energy.  In conjunction with Carbon Footprint Ltd, the airport is off-setting 2018 residual carbon emissions (over which it has direct control) through the support of renewable energy projects, both locally with the donation of a 10kW Solar Array system to Newlands Primary School in Yateley, Hampshire and also overseas through the support of a large-scale solar farm project in India, bringing green energy, education and employment opportunities between the two projects.

In 2018, TAG Farnborough Airport became the first business aviation airport in the world to achieve carbon neutrality and since then has continued to make further substantial reductions in its carbon footprint with a confirmed offset totalling 1,605 tonnes of carbon emissions for the last year. Over the past five years alone, TAG Farnborough Airport has invested over £1 million into energy efficiency projects and during the past decade has reduced carbon emissions, over which it has direct control, by 3,819 tonnes or 73 per cent (2008 carbon emissions: 5,242 tonnes).

In cooperation with Carbon Footprint Ltd, TAG Farnborough Airport has offset residual emissions through credible and certified offsetting projects, which in recent years have included school tree planting in the local area paired with a conservation project in the Amazon rainforest (Florestal Santa Maria Project), protecting trees in one of the most biodiverse places in the world. This important work is continuing in 2019 with TAG Farnborough Airport donating a 10kW Solar Power system to Newlands Primary School, located close to the airport in Yateley, Hampshire. As well as providing much needed renewable energy, the new solar system will allow the school to reduce its electricity costs by about £1,300 each year and at the same time provide the children with a unique learning opportunity in the field of Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM).

At the same time, TAG Farnborough Airport is also supporting an overseas solar power project in rural India. The project has provided employment in a developing region, helping to both decarbonise the national grid and reduce power outage.

At a special commemorative event at Newlands School this week to celebrate the ‘switching on’ of the new solar power system, Miles Thomas, Environment Manager, TAG Farnborough Airport, commented, “The solar schools project will provide a lasting benefit to Newlands Primary School, supplying a carbon free source of electricity for many years to come while creating an avenue for discovery and learning amongst pupils in the field of science and technology.”

“TAG Farnborough Airport is committed to developing its business in a responsible and sustainable way, supporting our local community economically, socially and environmentally. Our voluntary participation in the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme provides the opportunity to achieve this through projects that are not only designed to meet our carbon footprint offsetting requirements, but also provide direct benefit to our local community.”  

Dr Wendy Buckley, Client Director at Carbon Footprint Ltd, said, “It is fantastic to see TAG Farnborough Airport continue to support community projects, both on a local and international basis.  It is highly appropriate that having already introduced new technology - including solar power - at their own site, the airport is now supporting the introduction of the latest solar technology with these local and overseas projects.”

William Neighbour, Headteacher at Newlands Primary School said, “We are really grateful to TAG Farnborough Airport for their donation of the solar panels. The children at Newlands are very conscience of their impact on the environment and push us adults to ensure we are delivering a sustainable planet for them to inherit. The solar panels have allowed us to focus more of our school curriculum on renewable energies and the environment, empowering the children to have a greater understanding of how they can improve their environment. TAG Farnborough Airport’s significant investment in solar technology has the additional benefit of saving the school thousands of pounds.”