The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) recently completed the installation of 2,980 solar panels at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu.
The panels were installed over a three-month period on the fifth floor of the Terminal 2 garage to increase energy efficiency and sustainability.
“We are thankful for the patience of the traveling public as we make the improvements outlined in our Energy Savings Performance Contract,” HDOT Director Jade Butay said. “The completion of this phase of photovoltaic panel installation, along with the previous improvements, will reduce the airport’s electric bill by nearly half.”
In November, installation was completed on 4,260 new solar panels on the seventh floor of the Terminal 1 parking garage.
The installation was part of HDOT’s 20-year Energy Savings Performance contract with Johnson Controls. The contract runs through 2034.
Johnson Controls will replace nearly 98,000 light fixtures with energy-efficient lighting such as high-efficiency LEDs. The company also will install more than 24,000 solar photovoltaic panels and upgrade ventilation and air-conditioning systems.
The $207 million needed for the changes was financed through the guaranteed energy savings.
The solar panels are forecasted to save HDOT’s airports division $600 million over the life of the contract.