PHL: The wind beneath our wings
Back in March of 2007, the airport began purchasing enough Pennsylvania-generated wind power from the PECO Wind program to supply 7 percent of the airport’s annual energy use through 2012. According to PIA spokeswoman Phyllis VanIstendal, the five-year commitment was the largest renewable energy purchase among airports nationwide.
Next time you step gratefully onto one of those moving walkways at Philadelphia International Airport, you can thank the wind that helps keep it rolling.
That's right: Back in March of 2007, the airport began purchasing enough Pennsylvania-generated wind power from the PECO Wind program to supply 7 percent of the airport's annual energy use through 2012. According to PIA spokeswoman Phyllis VanIstendal, the five-year commitment was the largest renewable energy purchase among airports nationwide.
If 7 percent doesn't seem like much, consider that the airport is huge. Its seven terminals, occupying 2,415,000 square feet, are nearly four times the size of Lincoln Financial Field and require 50,000 light bulbs to illuminate – and that's just in the public spaces. Each day, the place consumes enough electricity to power 28,800 residential homes for a day, or one home for more than 78 years.
So 7 percent is not nothin'. It equates to the purchase of 13,000 megawatt hours – the environmental equivalent of offsetting more than 14 million pounds of carbon dioxide and the equivalent of planting more than 970,000 trees, or not driving more than 12 million miles.
In recognition of its purchase, PHL was awarded a Green Power Award from the Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture). The award recognizes individuals and organizations for their work in promoting clean, renewable energy in Pennsylvania.
Now if only the airport could figure out how to harness the energy created by travelers' constant use of those comfy rocking chairs – there are 140 of them dotting the terminals – we'd really be in business!