On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) joined Dominion Energy in breaking ground on the largest renewable energy project ever developed at a U.S. airport.
MWAA said their one-of-a-kind agreement with Dominion would provide the airport with energy and renewably fueled vehicles, while helping the company generate energy for Virginia customers. The Dulles Solar and Storage Project at Dulles International Airport will generate up to 100 megawatts (MW) of solar energy and store up to 50 MW of power, Dominion said. That’s enough to power more than 37,000 Virginia homes.
Additionally, as part of the lease agreement between the two entities, Dominion would develop two 1 MW solar carports that will partially power facilities at Dulles, as well as provide 18 electric transit buses, 50 electric fleet vehicles and a number of electric vehicle charging stations for operations at the airport.
“This partnership will result in the largest renewable energy project ever developed at a U.S. airport,” Jack Potter, President and CEO of MWAA, said. “It’s just one of many ways the Airports Authority is constantly working to be a good steward of the environment. We look forward to working with Dominion Energy to help provide emission-free electricity to serve the growing energy needs of the Dulles community and the National Capital Region.”
The project will be developed starting in late 2023 and is expected to be completed by late 2026. Construction on the project is expected to support more than 300 jobs and $200 million in economic activity.
“This is an exciting moment for the future of clean, reliable energy, not only for Virginia but for the entire nation,” Bob Blue, Chair, President and CEO of Dominion Energy, said. “Thanks to our strong partnership with MWAA, millions of travelers flying in and out of Dulles every year will see this powerful symbol of the clean energy transition. Just as air travelers can always count on Dulles to reach their destination, our customers can always count on us to deliver reliable and increasingly clean energy.”