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by Erika Esquivel
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso International Airport has completed two large solar canopy projects that airport leaders say will cut energy use while expanding shaded parking for travelers.
The solar structures were built above the Rental Car Center and the Premium Reserved Parking Lot.
Together, the projects include 5,200 solar panels and are expected to provide about 2.9 megawatts of solar capacity.
The canopies cover more than 144,000 square feet of parking and airport infrastructure, making it one of the largest municipal solar installations in El Paso.
Once fully operational, the solar arrays are expected to offset about 22 percent of the airport’s annual electricity use.
Airport officials said that the reduction represents nearly half of the airport terminal’s typical annual power bill and will generate enough energy to power the equivalent of about 350 homes each year.
The projects were funded in part through federal grants, including $3 million from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program for the Rental Car Center solar installation and $1.75 million in Community Project Funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for the Premium Reserved Parking solar canopy.
“Solar canopies transform existing infrastructure into productive community assets,” Robert Miggins, CEO of Big Sun Solar, said. “Parking lots that once only stored vehicles can now generate clean electricity for decades. And it’s a nice bonus for travelers to return to a cooler car when picking up friends and family at the terminal.”
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2026 Sinclair, Inc.

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