Pittsburgh International Airport, Resilient Microgrid Project Support

Burns consulted Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) on a first-of-its-kind microgrid project, guiding Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) through the initial development process.

ACAA partnered with a development team led by Peoples Natural Gas to create the first microgrid project to fully power a U.S. airport. The 23-Megawatt (MW) microgrid is capable of producing more electrical capacity than the airport needs for daily operations.

The project consists of five natural gas-fueled generators and a nearly 9,400-panel solar array. Natural gas wells drilled on airport property power the generators. The microgrid’s distributed energy resources are connected to make PIT a fully resilient facility.

Peoples Natural Gas received a 20-year contract to design, permit, build, operate and maintain the microgrid — all at no cost to the airport authority. The natural gas-fueled energy plant is now owned by Cordia.

Since the microgrid reached full operational status in 2021, ACAA has saved an estimated $1.5 million per year in utility costs. The project is reducing carbon emissions by approximately 6 million pounds per year.

ACAA entrusted Burns as the owner representative to assist throughout the initial public procurement process, developing request for qualifications and request for proposal documents. Burns evaluated submittals for technical and financial viability.

Project recognition includes receiving Airports Council International’s prestigious Environmental Achievement Innovation Award.