Big Apple Power For JFK Airport

John F. Kennedy International Airport’s future New Terminal One will be powered by more than 13,000 solar panels along with natural gas fuel cells, reducing carbon emissions and making the facility more resilient in the event of a power outage.

Officials in New York say say the 11.3-megawatt microgrid is capable of completely powering the new facility even if the main power grid goes down.

The New York microgrid announcement comes nearly 19 months after Pittsburgh International Airport officials flipped the switch on its 23-megawatt microgrid—the first in the world to completely power an airport using five natural gas-fired generators and approximately 10,000 solar panels.

In 2022, PIT’s microgrid saved over $1 million in utility costs and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 6.5 million pounds regionally. PIT’s solar array is built atop a closed landfill, which supports PIT’s sustainability goals by repurposing land that is otherwise unsuitable for development initiatives.

New York officials broke ground on the 2.4-million-square-foot New Terminal One project in September.

The first 14 gates are expected to open in 2026, with the remaining nine open by 2030.