On Wednesday, Pittsburgh International Airport, the nation’s 48th busiest airport, which is managed under the Allegheny County Airport Authority and also known by its IATA airport code PIT, announced that it is the world’s first airport to be entirely powered by natural gas and solar energy as part of a groundbreaking microgrid project.
The microgrid consists of five natural gas-fueled generators and nearly 10,000 solar panels, with an energy production capacity of more than 20MW of electricity, or equivalent to powering more than 13,000 residential homes (the airport’s current peak demand is around 14MW. The autonomous energy source will be powered by natural gas drilled on-site by Pittsburgh’s CNX Resources (formerly known as Consol Energy), in addition to gas from the interstate pipeline system and solar generation.
Blueprint for resilience
Airports across the country have been exploring ways to increase power resilience and reliability after several high-profile power outages resulted in thousands of cancelled flights and passenger disruptions. As PIT prepares to break ground on a terminal project, it hopes that the creation and integration of smart power infrastructure can serve as a blueprint for others.
“Our region has innovation in its DNA, and the construction of this microgrid reflects the work that has been done at the airport to maximize public safety and sustainability,” said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “I’m extremely proud that the airport is utilizing nearly 10,000 solar panels as a source of sustainable energy. It, along with the other mix of energy generated at the airport, continues to position this facility as an industry leader.”
The power generated at PIT is the primary supply for the entire airport, including the terminals, airfield, onsite Hyatt hotel and Sunoco fuel station. The airport will remain connected to the traditional electrical grid as an option for emergency or backup power if needed. The microgrid will generate power, in part, through onsite natural gas wells and 9,360 solar panels across eight acres.
“Pittsburgh International Airport is now one of the most site-hardened public facilities in the world while at the same time becoming more sustainable. That’s a tribute to the innovative culture of our team, and we hope this project can be a model across the industry,” said Pittsburgh International Airport CEO Christina Cassotis.
The Allegheny County Airport Authority Board of Directors in 2019 awarded Peoples Natural Gas a 20-year contract to build, maintain and operate the microgrid at no cost to the airport. In addition to boosting power resiliency and redundancy, the microgrid will achieve savings on electricity costs for the airport and tenants.
Crews started construction in July 2020 and completed the project on schedule even as the pandemic stalled the aviation industry last year.
“Essential Utilities and Peoples Gas are proud to be an integral part of the airport microgrid project,” said Essential Utilities chairman and CEO Christopher Franklin. “We’re demonstrating how new, alternative energies like solar can be integrated with traditional power sources like natural gas. This energy solution provides the airport with a more resilient power supply, as well as reducing its emissions.”
