TECO begins installation of solar array

(Nov. 4, 2015) Tampa International Airport's first solar panels are starting to go up. With the framework in place, crews installed the first photovoltaic panel on Oct. 26 on top of the South Economy Parking Garage. The site will eventually be home to a 2-Megawatt solar array that will generate the equivalent amount of power to serve 250 homes - or about the same amount of energy as will be used by Tampa International's new 1.4-mile people mover. According to Tampa Electric, when the array is finished later this year, it will produce an environmental offset on the order of removing 350 cars from Tampa-area roadways over the course of a year. 

One other benefit: People who park on the roof of the garage will have shade from the solar array.