JFK Airport Will Be Home To NYC’s Largest Rooftop Solar Array With 13,000 Panels

John F. Kennedy International Airport’s New Terminal One (NTO) could soon be home to the largest rooftop solar array in New York City—and the biggest of any airport in the United States—with 13,000 solar panels on an island of energy known as a ‘microgrid’.

While the energy generated could power an estimated 3,570 homes, it appears the terminal won’t be contributing to the city’s broader power supply. Instead, all power will remain within JFK, which could still be supplemented by the regional grid.

According to Gothamist, this means the new addition will still rely on traditional power suppliers, and will only switch to operating independently off the grid in the case of an emergency. 

The microgrid could certainly come in handy, especially in the case of potential blackouts during storms. As per the press release, it will provide the terminal with “sustainable, resilient, locally generated, and cost-predictable energy.” 

Once it goes online, the solar array will deliver an immediate reduction of 38% of greenhouse gases from grid-sourced energy, which will no doubt contribute to cleaner air for the communities in the surrounding area of JFK Airport. 

However, there are researchers who feel the project isn’t doing enough. Dr Bolun Xu, Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University, told the site the entire endeavor was “a missed opportunity.” 

Due to local laws that prevent the airport’s forthcoming microgrid from providing power to the surrounding region, the terminal will not be strengthening the larger regional grid, and will still be tapping into the area’s energy supply. 

AlphaStruxure, an alternative energy solutions firm, has been tasked with the job of installing the four parts of the microgrid. Three of these will be up and running when the terminal opens in 2026, with another to be completed by the end of the decade. 

“This NTO infrastructure project illuminates a new pathway to decarbonizing the air transportation sector… This project is paving the way for all transportation hubs and municipalities across the country,” said Juan Macias, CEO of AlphaStruxure. 

“This is future-focused infrastructure that will facilitate the transition away from fossil fuels and sets a new standard for large-scale renewable development in New York and in the air transit sector,” agreed NTO Development Head, Dr Gerrard Bushell.

[via Gothamist and AlphaStruxure, images via AlphaStruxure]