What impact, if any, on cheap traveloptions, such as cheapfares, cheap airplane tickets, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, ofpowering the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airports solely viasolar energy remains to be seen.
The airports goal is to harness enough solar energy tofully power the airport, allowing it to operate independently most of the time,especially when disaster strikes.
While still in the early stages, the solar proposal isincluded in cost projects for an $826 million airport revamp, which includes anew $650 million terminal on the north side of the airport, a hotel, and a newinterstate 10 flyover ramp. Ifimplemented, Armstrong would become the only airport in the nation capable ofrunning on self-generated solar power.
The objective is to make the airport a zero-grid operationwhere it would not be dependent on the outside for power. Plans call for installing enough solar panelsto generate about 10 megawatts of power, enough to provide energy to 1,500homes.
This project would be one of the largest in thenation. Although other airports alreadymake use of solar power, those are designed to feed electricity back into thegeneral power grid or account for only a portion of the airports power needs.
Armstrongs solar project is forecasted to cost $85 millionand would reside within the 2.5 square miles of airport property.
The objective of this project is to provide the airport anemergency power supply to keep it running when faced with a disaster and toreduce the millions of dollars the airport spends annually on electricity.
During a disaster this airport becomes one of the majorpoints of evacuation. During recoverythe airport wants to get people back in as quickly as possible and help theregion to recover. The airport contendsthat it is in the public interest to have an alternative power source so it canmaintain terminal operations during all but the very worst weather conditions.
Airport solar projects have become increasingly commonrecently with some small installations being set up by a Federal AviationAdministration program aimed at reducing emissions. Larger projects usually have been built bycontractors who lease land at airports to sell power back to either the airportor the local utility company.
If its solar plan is implemented, Armstrong Airport wouldlikely still need to purchase some electricity from the local utility companyduring times of peak demand. Overall itsplan calls for the airport to be essentially self-sustaining.
In 2013 the airport spent $3.5 million on electricity. This annual expense would largely be wipedout if the solar project came together as planned. This project as well as adding a new terminalwould result in reduced airport operating costs whose savings would be passedonto airlines via reduced fees that in turn would potentially attract moreflights to the airport.
Past hurricanes have disrupted electric power supply to theairport for as long as several days. Anon-site source of power would allow the airport to reopen quickly after a majorstorm.
Today Armstrong Airport has backup generators to providepower during emergencies. They are onlycapable of providing enough power to keep crucial systems running. After a solar installation all of theairports facilities could be operational as soon as a hurricanes winds diedown.
Plans call for the solar project to be paid for with statemoney which has yet to be committed.
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