WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall and U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich today announced that Albuquerque International Sunport has received a $2.4 million federal grant to install solar panels that will provide electrical power to the airport's parking facility.
The $2.44 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Voluntary Airport Low-Emission (VALE) project will fund the acquisition and installation of a Solar Photovoltaic Array on top of the airport's multilevel vehicle parking facility.
"It makes a lot of sense for the Albuquerque Sunport to harness solar energy and turn it to electric power, so I'm very glad the FAA is making this investment. This is another step in the direction of increasing our state's reliance on clean, homegrown energy," said Bingaman, who as chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has been a leader in shaping the nation's clean energy policies.
"This grant will help improve air quality at the airport by capitalizing on a clean-energy technology that will also reduce its dependence on conventional fuels," Udall said. "By participating in this project, the Sunport is taking a strong leadership role in helping our state transition to a clean-energy economy that protects our natural environment and keeps New Mexico competitive in the future."
"Utilizing the power of clean, renewable energy at Albuquerque's Sunport will make our air cleaner and propel New Mexico's burgeoning clean energy economy. Powering large facilities like airports with clean energy decreases our dependence on foreign oil, which will create American jobs and strengthen our national security," Heinrich said.
The Sunport is located in an Environmental Protection Agency-designated nonattainment area and is contributing voluntarily to regional attainment of national ambient air quality standards under the Clean Air Act. The project is eligible for airport emission reduction credits from state and local air quality agencies that can be used to offset emissions from future airport development.
