An Allegiant Air flight bound for St Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla., lifts off near a solar panel farm recently installed at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport.Work will start later this month to double the size of Chattanooga Airport’s solar farm after it received a $3 million federal grant Tuesday.
The FAA Airport Improvement Program grant will fund the second part of the three-phase project at the airport, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in a news release.
According to the airport, phase two should be online in early 2013. While the power will go into the electrical grid, the solar farm will produce enough energy to power 250 homes a year.
Terry Hart, the airport’s chief executive, said in an email that the environmental savings achieved through the solar farm cuts costs long-term for airport users.
In addition, he said officials recognize that aviation leaves a large carbon footprint.