Tennessee’s Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport has become the first airport in the United States to run entirely on solar power. The small facility, which operates more than 61,000 flights a year, announced it completed work on a 12-acre, 2.64 megawatt (MW) solar farm that generates enough green electricity to account for the airport’s total energy needs, reported the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

The $10 million project, funded largely by the Federal Aviation Administration, took nine years and three phases to complete. It uses onsite batteries to help power operations at night and is expected to last 30 to 40 years. Built in the southwest corner of the airfield, the array is visible from Chattanooga’s two runways on land unusable for aviation purposes. “It’s good for our environment and our bottom line,” Dan Jacobson, chairman of the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority, said at a press event on Wednesday. He noted that the solar panels make enough electricity to power 160,000 light bulbs.

Editorial Team
The Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with data and insights to deliver useful news updates. We are experts with the mission to inform, educate and inspire the industry. We are passionately curious, enthusiastic, and motivated to positively impact the world. Send us a tip via hello @ pvbuzz [dot] com.

Solar Power Is Starting to Shine. Here Are Some Stocks Poised to Benefit

Previous article

Texas Poised To Become National Leader In Solar Power

Next article

Comments

Comments are closed.