Frankfurt, October 22, 2025
With the commissioning of a 2,800-meter-long photovoltaic installation at Frankfurt Airport, Next2Sun is sending a strong signal for sustainable energy supply. At the heart of the project are 37,000 vertically installed solar modules based on Next2Sun’s innovative technology. The system will generate up to 17.4 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually.
Frankfurt, October 22, 2025 – With the commissioning of a 2,800-meter-long photovoltaic installation at Frankfurt Airport, Next2Sun is sending a strong signal for sustainable energy supply. At the heart of the project are 37,000 vertically installed solar modules based on Next2Sun’s innovative technology. The system will generate up to 17.4 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually.
The Next2Sun Group, a pioneer in vertical photovoltaics, is not only the system supplier but also responsible for the implementation of the project as the plant constructor. Heiko Hildebrandt, CEO of Next2Sun, emphasizes the significance of the project: “This installation impressively demonstrates how scalable our vertical photovoltaic technology is. It can be flexibly integrated into a wide range of infrastructures – from the transport sector to agriculture. With every new project, we lay the foundation for a grid-supportive and future-proof energy supply.”
The vertical design of the Next2Sun system allows for particularly space-efficient integration into existing infrastructures – without conflicting with other land use needs. Thanks to the east-west orientation of the modules, solar energy is primarily harvested in the morning and evening hours. This makes the system an ideal complement to conventional rooftop PV systems, which reach peak output at midday. The combination of both technologies creates a balanced generation profile that ensures stable and demand-oriented electricity supply throughout the day.
Ecological considerations also played a key role in the project’s implementation: construction phases were planned in close coordination with local conservation guidelines and aligned with breeding and nesting seasons to protect the airport’s sensitive green areas.
With Next2Sun technology, Frankfurt Airport is setting new standards for integrating renewable energy into complex transportation systems – and is taking a major step toward its goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 at the latest. The electricity generated will primarily be used for terminal climate control and the airport’s electric vehicle fleet.
Together with Kaweh Mansoori, Hessian Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport, Housing and Rural Areas, Fraport CEO Dr. Stefan Schulte symbolically commissioned the entire system today by flipping the switch in a transformer station. “Today’s commissioning is a milestone on our path toward our Net Zero climate goal. The global attention this innovative system has attracted confirms our approach of boldly moving forward and exploring new paths that will lead global aviation safely into a sustainable future,” emphasized Dr. Stefan Schulte, CEO of Fraport AG.
Photo: Fraport AG
