Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) will significantly expand its on-site solar field, adding 12 acres of panels to more than double the amount of energy produced.
PIT in 2021 completed a 3-megawatt solar array comprising nearly 10,000 panels. The microgrid fully powers airport facilities. PIT maintains a connection to the region’s main electric grid as a backup.
The Pennsylvania airport unveiled plans on April 29 to add 11,216 solar panels to its array atop a closed landfill on airport property. “This expansion of the existing 8-acre solar array with an additional 12 acres will enable the generation of an additional 4.7 megawatts of clean energy,” PIT said in a statement.
The project is expected to be completed in 2027.
The expansion will not be a part of the PIT microgrid providing the airport’s electricity, but will supply energy to the regional electric grid. “We are maximizing the use of airport assets for the betterment of the region,” PIT CEO Christina Cassotis said.
IMG Energy will own the expanded field and has committed to supply 100% of the energy generated by the new solar panels to Duquesne Light Co., the regional power provider.
PIT noted it has saved more than $1 million in annual electricity costs since the solar array became operational in 2021.
The airport, which has 8,800 acres of property, is also working on building facilities to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on site, which would be a first for a major airport.
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