A 100 MW solar and 50 MW energy storage project will be constructed on the southwest corner of the airport. Dominion will provide renewable energy services in exchange for the provided land area.
August 22, 2023 Ryan Kennedy
Electric utility Dominion Energy announced it has commenced construction on the Dulles Solar and Storage project at Dulles International Airport. The company was joined by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) and federal, state and local officials to initiate the groundbreaking.
The project includes a 100 MW solar facility and 50 MW of battery energy storage that can power the equivalent of 37,000 Virginia homes at peak output. All energy produced by the project will serve Dominion Energy Virginia customers.
“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,” said Bob Blue, chair, president, and chief executive officer of Dominion Energy. “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.”
The partnership is resulting in the largest renewable energy project developed at a U.S. airport.
“This groundbreaking marks the beginning of a historic achievement – a first-of-its-kind renewable energy project at a major U.S. airport,” said Virginia Senator Mark Warner.
The project includes a unique lease agreement that will advance electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure at Dulles. Instead of making annual lease payments to MWAA for the 100 MW site, Dominion Energy will develop two 1 MW solar carports that will partially power Dulles facilities, and provide 18 electric transit buses, 50 electric fleet vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations for Dulles operations.
In addition to utility-scale solar and battery storage, the project includes two solar carports that will partially power Dulles facilities.
With an expected completion date in 2026, the project will be developed across 835 acres located in the southwest corner of Dulles International Airport.
Over 300 construction jobs and $200 million in economic activity are expected to be developed as a result of the project.
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