Orlando International Airport Next Up for Energy Revamp

Central Florida has been making leaps and bounds in the way of clean energy renovations. Solar energy has taken to the forefront of business remodels throughout Orlando, and MCO is next up for an energy overhaul.

As Central Florida businesses go, Orlando International Airport leaves one of the biggest carbon footprints around, with more than 18,000 employees and 104,000 travelers passing through daily. Not to mention, MCO also houses three fire stations, hundreds of toilets, dozens of restaurants and retail stores, and as a whole, it goes through about a million gallons of jet fuel daily. Needless to say, it’s the perfect recipe for mass resource consumption, and electricity is the resource most utilized.

While Orlando International’s current efforts to stay energy efficient are not wasted, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Solar energy equipment is one area the airport plans to improve upon, with only a fraction of its current energy use being satisfied with solar. While the city of Orlando hosts the solar Orlando International uses, airports like Denver International have been pumping out 10 megawatts of their own power for years. Similarly, Portland International Airport has 42 electric car ports, while MCO offers a measly nine.

The room for energy improvements at Orlando International Airport is obvious, but the folks in charge over at MCO aren’t oblivious to that. In fact, the total cost of planned improvements is due to settle right around $3 billion, expanding clean energy efforts and refining airport environments to allow for better efficiency.

These improvements come just a year after Tampa International Airport mounted solar energy installations on top of their primary parking garage, generating 2 megawatts of power for the airport. Miami International Airport has also invested in energy saving renovations, proving that Florida’s investment in solar energy is growing.