Originally Posted by
DenverBrian
You'd think airports would think of themselves like hospitals when it comes to power - multiple backup schemes, and each concourse/terminal separated so that a power cut in one doesn't affect all the others.
DIA has a big solar farm, which provides cutover and emergency power if the main grid fails.
The solar projects (there are four) at DIA are not directly connected to the airport’s power system. They are connected to Xcel’s system. DIA “buys” power from the projects via a virtual contract that offsets its bills from Xcel using the same Solar Rewards program that anyone in Xcel’s service territory can get. There is no energy storage on any of the systems so, at night, DIA would be in the same situation ATL is.