Iowa City officials celebrated the completion of a solar array at the Iowa City Municipal Airport with a ribbon cutting ceremony Nov. 14, alongside Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representatives, local congressional delegates, commission members and project representatives.
The 140 kilowatt array, comprised of more than 300 ground-mounted solar panels, will help power the terminal building, runway lights, and ambulatory hangar.
“Once fully onboarded, this project will cut the airport’s energy costs by 50% by converting sunlight into electricity,” a release stated.
The project was made possible through a $676,178 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and $75,000 in local funding provided by the city’s Climate Action and Outreach division.
The FAA grant leveraged funding allocated for airport modernization under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was authorized by Congress.
Solar by Brandt, a division of Brandt Heating and Cooling, constructed the solar panels and support structures.
