A 28-acre site now containing 15 thousand solar panels is expected to generate up to 9 gigawatt hours of electricity every year, which could reduce about 2,025 tonnes of carbon emission from the ground operations at Dublin Airport. However, the plans for solar panels are aimed to increase the passenger cap, which is currently set at an annual limit of 32 million passenger journeys within Dublin Airport. If all goes through well, the airport will undergo an expansion, in a sustainable manner, to increase the number of piers and stands needed to accommodate more airlines and create more jobs, according to Mr O’Brien.

However, it is estimated that the new passenger cap would be set to 40 million following the airport expansion, which consequently would increase flight emissions from the airport by 280,000 tonnes of CO2 or equivalent greenhouse gases, 141 times more than emissions cuts from the investment in the solar farm. As flights account for 90% of the emissions from the airport, gains from sustainable programmers would be overshadowed by an increased passenger number.

CEO of Daa, Kenny Jacobs, operator of Dublin airport, argues that a cap at Dublin Airport is not necessarily great for European emissions, as it “just moves emissions to other airports and also the jobs and the airlines and the economic contributions that goes with it”. Although Mr O’Brien has said that he wants the passenger cap lifted, he is conscious he must take responsibility for the environment.