In the next three years, Riga Airport and the Lithuanian airport company "Lietuvos oro uostai" will upgrade the electrical supply systems of their aerodromes by attracting European Union funding in the amount of 3.65 million euros in a joint project.
Arnas Dumanas, Director of the Development Department at Lithuanian Airports: "This funding opportunity will allow us to develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure at various parts of Kaunas and Vilnius airports. In parallel, we will invest in ground power units specifically designed for aircraft. These are very important steps that will bring the organisation closer to the ambitious goals of Net Zero strategy."
The electrical supply infrastructure modernization project at Riga Airport provides for the reconstruction of the electrical network from the current 10-kilovolt to a 20-kilovolt network, and the installation of a solar panel park on the roofs of several airport buildings to generate renewable energy. The construction of electric charging points on the apron and technical area of the aerodrome is necessary to replace the part of the internal combustion vehicles used by the Airport with electric vehicles by 2027, and to ensure the availability of renewable resources for charging electric vehicles for both the Airport and other passenger service companies working at the Airport.
The project "Establishment of Electricity Supply and Charging Infrastructure in the Baltic States’ Airports in North Sea-Baltic CNC/TEN-T Corridor for the Transition to Environmentally Friendly Operations" will be implemented by Riga Airport in cooperation with Lithuanian airports. The total co-financing of the EU fund programme "CEF 2 Transport – Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility – Zero Emissions" for the project is 3,65 million euros or 50 % of the total costs of the project. 1,79 million euros have been allocated to Riga Airport, and 1,85 million euros to " Lietuvos oro uostai", and the companies will have to invest the same amount themselves.
Representatives of PwC were also involved as consultants in the preparation and finalising the project.