Puerta del Sur, Carrasco International Airport licensee firm and Uruguay Natural brand partner, introduced the airport new air conditioning system, which will save the energy use equivalent of 500 homes during a year. They also have plans for a photovoltaic plant to become self-sustaining. Olga Otegui, energy national director, pointed out both undertakings as role models of energy efficiency.

Puerta del Sur is in charge of the management of the biggest Uruguayan Airport until 2033. They announced these new projects centered in renewable energies, which will reduce their carbon footprint and position Carrasco airport as a green airport.

The first project is a new air conditioning system, based in heat bombs that will multiply the efficiency in a 400%.

The system created by the Finnish company Oilon, reduces carbon emissions (CO2) in 600 tons per year, and 1700 megawatts annually, substantially reducing pollution.

The second project, that still needs some final government approvals, will start in the second semester of the year, said Diego Arrosa general manager of Puertas del Sur, in an event attended by Finland ambassador Jukka Siukosaari and Oilan director Pertti Lattikka, among others.

The plan is to build a photovoltaic plant to generate clean energy for the airport. On a first step, the plant will have a 0,5 megawatt power and will complement the energy brought by UTE (The State owned electrical company).

Energy national director Olga Otegui highlighted the “incorporation of new technology aligned with the energy efficiency search, drove by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining”.

For Puertas del Sur, a company part of the Argentinean corporate group Eurnekian, this is the first experience in energy efficiency investment. Diego Arrosa stated that if the investment proved to be successful the group would replicate the experience in other managed airports.

With a 10,5% growth in domestic traffic and 5, 1% in international traffic in the next 20 years estimated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Carrasco is a reference airport in South America, said the company Puerta del Sur.

Source: Presidency