Commercial, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  February 6, 2020

Lake Tahoe Airport completes rooftop solar installation

The Lake Tahoe Airport is celebrating the installation of a rooftop solar system, which is expected to provide 95% of the airport’s electricity needs and makes it the first building in South Lake Tahoe to run on solar power.

The city of South Lake Tahoe committed to seeking 100% renewable energy in 2017 and have been working toward this project since then. The project was implemented through a 20-year PPA with Staten Solar, who installed solar panels on the roofs of three city-owned hangars at the airport. Additionally, Staten Solar will net the city approximately $520,000 in rental fees and energy savings throughout the life of the agreement.

“We are taking our commitment to energy efficiency seriously,” Mark Gibbs, manager of the Lake Tahoe Airport, said in a statement, “This isn’t just an important environmental decision for the City, it’s also a smart financial one. In truth, this is a win-win for everyone.”

The solar panels are expected to go live some time in February and are expected to save 384 tons of CO2 emission compared to traditional electricity outputs.