Denver International Airport (DIA) plans to start construction of a 4.4-megawatt (MW) solar power system in the fall, which is claimed as the largest customer-sited solar photovoltaic installation in Colorado. The project will be completed by early 2011.
The system is expected to supply approximately 7,000 megawatt-hours of electricity to DIA each year, using approximately 19,000 Yingli Solar photovoltaic panels. It is also projected to avoid the emissions of more than more than 5,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
Constellation Energy will finance, own and operate the solar installation and DIA will purchase the electricity produced by the system from Constellation Energy over a 20-year period. Intermountain Electric (IME) will began construction in the fall of 2010.
This is the third large scale solar project for DIA. The airport installed a 2 MW in 2008 and commissioned a 1.6 MW facility in early 2010, both installed and managed by IME.
"This project marks the third solar array to be constructed at Denver International Airport and furthers our commitment to environmental responsibility," said Kim Day, aviation manager for DIA. "Denver's airport has a widespread reputation as a "green" airport. Our partnership with Oak Leaf Energy, Constellation Energy and Intermountain Electric not only expands our sustainability efforts, but is a great example of public-private partnerships advancing the green economy."
DIA also hosts a green parking lot. Green Park DIA, announced in January, is a 4,200-stall parking lot servicing Denver International Airport, which was built to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Gold standards.