Another Airport Goes Solar Indianapolis Completes World Largest Airport Solar Farm

Airports are a large consumer of power and often have large tracts of unused land that act as barriers. It just makes sense to install solar panels on these locations and offset some of the electricity that is used in the airport. The fact that they are responsible of so much emissions of airplane emitting fossil fuel into the atmosphere really makes this an even more attractive role in the industry.

Justin L. Mack, The Indianapolis Star

ORIGINALLY posted in USA TODAY

"The airport could not be more thrilled to have the largest airport-based solar farm right here in our growing city of Indianapolis," Mario Rodriguez, executive director of the Indianapolis Airport Authority, said in prepared remarks. "The Solar Farm not only enhances our environmentally friendly and energy-efficient terminal campus, but also played a huge role in our recent recognition of being named one of America's greenest airports."

The expanded portion of the solar farm creates enough energy to power more than 1,410 average American homes for a year, the release states.

Indianapolis Power & Light Co. buys the solar farm's power, which costs three to four times the price for which IPL can sell it, officials have said. The utility has subsidized the difference by raising rates to its customers. The increase in electric bills to subsidize the solar farm amounts to several cents a month on the average customer bill. Solar farms also benefit from federal tax credits.

The solar farm has required about a dozen employees to operate. It is owned and operated by a Taiwanese company, General Energy Solutions, which has U.S. offices in California.

"It is an iconic structure that symbolizes how renewable energy in this country is affordable and reliable," Kurt Schneider, vice president of Johnson Melloh Solutions, said in a statement. "JMS is proud of the teamwork displayed by IND and IPL that made this green project such a great success.

"Our hope is that many visitors from other states and countries fly into IND and realize after passing the solar farm that Indiana is both a great place to live and a progressive community for thriving new businesses."

As for the title of "largest" airport-based solar farm, airport spokeswoman Kendall Bybee tells The Associated Press that Indianapolis International did not set outdo others. Instead, it happened naturally as the airport chose to put more of the airport's land into use for power generation.

"The airport's intention was never to have the largest airport-based solar farm - it just so happens that it happened, because the airport had so much unused land," she says to AP.

"The Indianapolis Star is owned by Gannett, parent company of USA TODAY. Gannett newspaper stories are occasionally used in Ben Mutzabaugh's Today in the Sky blog. You can follow the author of this story, Star reporter, on Twitter @justinlmack. The Associated Press contributed to this report."