It’s hard to miss the millions of solar panels installed in the United States. We’re on record to hit 16 gigawatts of solar energy production by the end of this year. Solar is everywhere!
If you really want to get a great view of solar production in action, we think it’s time to take a vacation. If you get the chance to fly into or out of any of these seven U.S. airports, just look out your window to see these large pieces of real estate taking advantage of solar power and the electricity it produces. And while you’re up in the air, play a game of “I Spy” to see where else solar is installed throughout the country! Check out these 7 cool solar installations at U.S. airports.
The largest airport-based solar farm can be found at Indianapolis International Airport. The two-phase solar project with Indianapolis Power & Light Company clocks in at over 20 MW of solar energy with panels attached to tracking systems that move with the direction of the sun to increase output. ET Energy Solutions installed the project. (Credit: IND Solar Farm)
Denver International Airport has four solar farms (totaling over 10 MW), including a 4.4-MW project commissioned in 2011 and owned by Constellation. Some of the electricity produced is used directly at the airport, and the rest is sold back to the grid. The airport has a total of 42,358 solar panels spread across 55 acres of solar fields. (Credit: Constellation)
The Tucson International Airport has a uniquely designed “solar amphitheater” producing 1.25 MW. The project faces southeast to meet FAA anti-glare best practices. Barker Morrissey Contracting, Natural Power and Energy and Kyocera Solar assisted on the project, which used “Made in the USA” components. The airport plans on a 2.5-MW expansion sometime this year. (Credit: Natural Power and Energy)
REC Solar installed 2.474 MW at Honolulu International and Kahului Airports, which included both Trina Solar and JA Solar modules. Not only in a hurricane-prone region that requires detailed wind load testing for solar, the area’s salty and humid climate made Sollega’s non-corrosive plastic material mounting system a perfect choice. (Credit: Sollega)
AMERESCO completed a 3-MW project on the top deck of two parking structures at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in late 2015, making it Minnesota’s largest solar generation site. In addition to solar, the project converted more than 7,700 light fixtures to LED technology and brought the total number of electric vehicle charging stations to 18. (Credit: Ameresco)
Chattanooga Airport’s 2.1-MW solar farm was completed in 2013 and is located on an area unusable for aviation purposes. This solar project, installed by Inman Solar, produces approximately 85% of the airport’s energy needs. The airport would ultimately like to increase the output to 3 MW and become energy self-sufficient and carbon neutral. (Credit: Inman Solar)
Tampa Electric (TECO) installed its first utility-scale system in 2015 at Tampa International Airport. The 2-MW parking canopy is on top of a parking garage. Florida’s Solar Source installed the project, which is a one-of-a-kind concrete structure. (Credit: Solar Source)