10-05-2025
SLO County airport is adding a solar panel canopy to its parking lot. What to know
The San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport is going green this summer with the installation of a new solar panel carport canopy system over the airport's main passenger parking lot.
Once complete, the 940-kilowatt solar system will generate enough electricity to power the entire airport year-round, the airport said in a news release.
The canopies will also shade parked passenger vehicles, keeping cars cool while charging the solar panels overhead.
'Producing our own energy allows us to lock in a predictable energy cost for the next two decades,' SLO County Director of Airports Courtney Johnson said in the release. 'In an environment where electricity prices are difficult to forecast and often fluctuating, this project allows us to have greater confidence in our financial planning and frees up resources to improve the passenger experience.'
Construction will begin June 2 and is expected to conclude in the fall, the release said.
The canopy will be built in two phases to reduce parking disruptions, with a newly-resurfaced temporary parking lot providing extra parking during construction.
The installation of the solar carport canopies is not the only effort the airport is making to become more sustainable.
At the same time, the airport will install electric vehicle charging infrastructure and make other improvements to increase energy efficiency, lower operational costs and move toward a decarbonization, the release said.
'In addition to being good for the environment, this project is a strategic move to manage long-term costs,' Johnson said. 'By generating our own clean, renewable energy, we are creating a more resilient airport that's positioned for the future.'
