First African solar airport to operate in Uganda

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http://www.andnetwork.com/index?service=direct/0/Home/recent.fullStory&sp=l54390

An eight-month construction of the first solar powered airport in Africa worth US$40million starts January next year in Uganda. Ssesamirembe International Solar Airport (SISA) shall be the first solar powered airport in Africa and will be functional in time for the Common Wealth Heads of State Meet in November, James Dummer, representing a consortium of international developers and investors from the United Kingdom, said on Tuesday 24.

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The developers of SISA have received assurances from government to secure 19 square miles of land that include the abandoned runway so as to build the new solar airport town and agro-production export center.

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“The developers have planned to harvest rainfall from the solar roof and from the airside infrastructure (runway, apron and parking) to create an irrigation infrastructure to service a planned agro-export production center for horticultural, floriculture and other agro-businesses adjacent to the SISA,” Dummer added.

Dummer said the roof of the terminal building has been specifically designed and shall be covered with photovoltaic (solar panels) to create a beautiful yet functional source of up to three megawatts of energy.

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