One of the world’s longest airport runways, and Amsterdam Schiphol’s busiest, is going to be out-of-use for two hours on some days, due to dangerous solar panel reflections that have been dazzling pilots on sunny days.
The so-called “Polderbaan” runway, the sixth at Schiphol, was opened in 2003 at a cost of €320 million. However, from now until at least the end of March 2025, it will be closed to aviation traffic from 10:00 AM to noon on sunny days due to a new solar park that has been under construction since the summer of 2024.
Vanaf dinsdag 4 maart is de Polderbaan bij zonnig weer tussen 10.00 en 12.00 uur tijdelijk niet beschikbaar voor landende vliegtuigen vanwege de schittering van zonnepanelen onder de aanvliegroute. Om de veiligheid te waarborgen, heeft de luchtvaartsector dit besluit moeten… pic.twitter.com/j54wkllCv4
— Schiphol (@Schiphol) March 3, 2025
Glare and noise pollution
The 100-hectare energy facility, called De Groene Energie Corridor (DGEC), is set for completion by April 2025 and is expected to provide power for 40,000 households. But in an unexpected development, airport safety officials have received dozens of complaints since installation began from pilots who say glare from the plant’s panels is causing them visibility issues.
Though it might seem counter-intuitive, when the Polderbaan runway is closed, noise pollution actually increases for the surrounding suburbs because traffic has to be transferred onto other runways. That makes the solar glare a problem not only for pilots but for local residents, too. The firm behind the solar station, Energy Solutions Group, “understands the urgency and will investigate various possible measures that they can take quickly,” the local municipality’s Mayor has noted in an official letter.
Unintended consequences
The issue raises questions about the installation of solar power facilities in urban environments. Recent projects include the world’s largest vertical solar power plant on Norway’s national stadium and European trials of solar panels along train tracks. Hailed as transformative green energy solutions, the eco-developments could have unintended consequences if adequate risk assessments are not undertaken.
What’s more, the issue is not limited to solar plants. In 2013, a London skyscraper dubbed the “walkie-talkie” caused similar problems thanks to its unusual shape and choice of materials. Blazing glare from the Rafael Vinoly design resulted in blistered paintwork, smashed tiles and burnt fabric and doormats in the surrounding neighbourhood. A sunscreen had to be installed to mitigate the issues.
Shielding the solar panels at DGEC is clearly not an option, but one tactic being considered to resolve the Schiphol problem is to put in place a form of glass that absorbs sunlight instead of reflecting it, airport authorities have said.
