Fresno, CA Airport Boasts Solar Record
If I asked you which airport is the "greenest", what would you say?
You might get the answer if you've heard of Fresno Yosemite International's 2 MW solar facility. It may not surprise you that the airport is in California, one US state that has demonstrated willingness to explore renewable energy in both private and public sectors.
http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/7/fresno-airport-installs-record-solar.cfm
Each year, the panels are expected to produce 40% of the airport's annual electricity needs and save taxpayers $11 million (and 170,000 barrels of OIL).
Also noteworthy is the payment plan for the large facility. Its $16 million pricetag was paid by a third party financial firm, which will then sell the electricity to the airport at a 20-year fixed rate.
I think this is a great example of beneficial usage of open land and would like to see more airports follow suit.
