Sacramento International Airport (SMF) has completed its new solar facility. SMF’s solar facility, which the airport says is the largest on-airport facility in California, is expected to generate more than 30 percent of the airport’s electricity, saving SMF on average $850,000 annually.
The facility was constructed by Borrego Solar with no cost to the airport. NRG, which provided the capital investment for the project, has made a 25-year agreement to own and operate the solar facility and to sell the electricity it produces to SMF at a reduced rate under a power purchase agreement.
The facility is made up of more than 23,000 LG solar panels mounted on NEXTracker racking, which adjusts the solar arrays according to the path of the sun for maximum energy production and efficiency.
“Over 10 million travelers fly in and out of Sacramento Airport each year who will now be able to see the value of solar at work and witness the airport’s commitment to clean, reliable, renewable energy,” said Kevin Prince, senior director of business development for NRG Renewables. “The airport and county had the vision to embrace solar technology. With this system now operational, we can offset one-third of the airport’s annual load….”
