The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and the New York Power Authority have commenced construction on New York State’s largest onsite solar plus storage project at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
The solar carport canopy will generate electricity to help power the airport’s AirTrain, as well as to reduce electricity costs for residents of low-income neighbourhoods in Queens.
The installation will be located in the airport’s long-term parking lot 9 and will be erected as a canopy, thus also providing the benefit of covered parking for 3,000 vehicles.
Alongside powering the AirTrain and neighbouring homes, this 12-megawatt solar project will include 7.5 megawatts of battery storage to reduce the airport’s energy use during peak periods.
“We are breaking ground on a game-changing solar project, which will give power to the AirTrain and support thousands of families in Queens. Supporting local minority- and women-owned businesses, this project will deepen our investment in the community while pushing forward New York’s nation-leading climate goals.”
The JFK solar carport will support the Port Authority’s 2050 Net Zero Goal. Through a public-private partnership, it will be built, owned and operated by TotalEnergies.
Once complete, it will produce enough clean energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 6,000 tons annually.
“Building New York’s largest solar carport at JFK significantly advances the Port Authority’s goal of reducing our agency’s carbon footprint to net zero while sharing the benefit of our historic investments at the airport with neighbouring communities. When complete, a fully transformed JFK will take its place as a world-class airport that is efficient, beautiful and sustainable.”
The project will be built in two phases. Phase 1 will deliver energy to the airport from March 2025. Phase 2 will add the community solar project to deliver energy to Con Edison for the surrounding community from April 2026.
The facility will join a number of solar projects already in operation across the Port Authority’s sites, including a 5-MW solar parking canopy at Newark Airport and a 1.5-MW rooftop solar array on LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B garage.
Additional solar projects are also planned at JFK Airport, where the construction of a new Terminal 1 and a new Terminal 6 will include rooftop arrays of solar panels to generate power.
