In June, the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport in Tennessee became the first Airport in the United States to go 100% solar. Since then plenty of airports have followed suit and decided to go solar.

November 18th, 2019, The John F. Kennedy International Airport announced that it will be installing a 13-MW, 7.5-MWh Solar + Storage project, along with a 6.1 MW of the installation will be the largest solar panel installation at a U.S. airport.

The solar energy project encompasses Building 141 and Long Term Parking Lot 9. Building 141 will host approximately 1 MW of rooftop solar panels, and Lot 9 will host nearly 13 MW of solar panels and approximately 7.5 MW of energy storage.

The projects will reduce the airport’s demand for fossil fuel-generated electricity and add resiliency to the AirTrain system. In total, this project will reduce the Port Authority’s greenhouse gas emissions at JFK by approximately 10%.

Another Airport that has made the switch to solar power is the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). For the first time in the United States, a major airport will be completely powered by its microgrid with the use of its own on-site natural gas wells and a solar energy array.

The power generated at PIT will become the primary supply for the entire airport, including the airfield, Hyatt Hotel, and Sunoco gas station. The airport will remain connected to the traditional electrical grid as an option for emergency or backup power when needed such as extreme weather events or other grid interruptions.

The solar power array will be approximately 7,800 solar panels across eight acres that will be visible from Interstate-376 in Pittsburgh. The microgrid will offer a more efficient, sustainable and resilient source of energy, making PIT one of the most site-hardened airports in the world.

And lastly, Dominion Energy Virginia and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced they will jointly explore the development of a large-scale 100-MW mass solar energy project on approximately 1,200 acres at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Mike Stewart, airport manager at Dulles International Airport said, “This project fits well with the Airports Authority’s goal of enhancing the sustainability and environmental performance of our facilities.”

Do you think Dulles will make the switch to solar energy? Comment below and let us know!

Want to go Solar? See how much you can save before the installer comes out by using the HaHaSmart price checker tool and you can customize your solar-powered system with the design DIY tool.