CERN powers the airport

CERN has long been seen as a centre for leading research and producing cutting edge technologies often resulting in significant developments to the way in which we live. For example, the internet was pioneered at CERN. The world’s first web page was posted in 1991, leading the way to an online information sharing platform for CERN’s scientific community. 22 years on, the internet is now the world’s most powerful communication, information and commerce platform ever created.

Having changed the way we communicate, CERN has now developed cutting edge technology which may well have solved one of the world’s most pressing problems – how to fuel our lifestyles without the need for fossil fuel. While solar technology has been in use for many years, CERN’s ground breaking “solar thermal power plant” claims to be capable of powering and heating buildings efficiently, even on cloudy days.

The new power plant technology has now been installed at Geneva airport at a cost of 3.5 million francs. Funded jointly by the airport and the canton of Geneva, the plant has 282 panels covering an area of 1130 m2. The plant also aims to cut CO2 emissions by 160 tons per year.

Source: Tribune de Genève