ROCK SPRINGS, WY ─ Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky Customers have awarded $94,216 in funding for a new solar array at the Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport.
This project is made possible with the generous contributions that Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky program customers make each month.
The 30-kilowatt array will be built in conjunction with the airport’s new General Aviation Terminal & Hangar Facility that is scheduled to open for operations in April 2018.
The array will be constructed this summer and will allow the airport to continue its pursuit of sustainable operations immediately upon commissioning in mid-summer.
This renewable energy project will offset a large portion of the anticipated electrical demand for the new 29,658 ft2 facility that is being constructed to support all general aviation aircraft and customers that operate at the airport.
“We are honored to have been selected to receive Blue Sky Program Funding to continue our goal of making our airport a more sustainable operation. We are grateful for all of the Blue Sky Program customers who make this program possible. We wanted to install a system that could not only provide for operational savings for the airport but one that could serve as an educational tool for our community and its visitors. It is our hope that this solar project will be the first of many at our airport and in our community.” -Devon Brubaker
This grant, in conjunction with funding from the Wyoming Business Council, Federal Aviation Administration, and the Wyoming Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division, will allow the airport to provide a world-class facility to accompany already existing first-class service and amenities.
This solar project is the latest in a series of improvements at the airport that reduce the environmental footprint of the airport’s operations. Recent projects include Commercial Terminal HVAC and Boiler Systems Replacement, Commercial Terminal LED Lighting Upgrade, Airfield LED Lighting Upgrade, and Building Automation System Installation. Future projects include several LED Retrofit projects as well as additional solar arrays to support other existing facilities on airport property.
About the Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport
The Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport is a commercial and general aviation airport serving Southwest Wyoming and is located seven miles east of Rock Springs in Sweetwater County.
It is owned and operated by the Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport Joint Powers Board representing both the City of Rock Springs and Sweetwater County. Serving over 36,000 commercial passengers and thousands of general aviation flights annually, the airport generates an annual economic impact of over $27 million to the local community and $31 million to the State of Wyoming.
