AlphaStruxure is to design, construct, and operate an integrated microgrid infrastructure at the New Terminal One (NTO) at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Energy as a Service (EaaS) solutions provider AlphaStruxure will deliver a microgrid capable of providing NTO with sustainable, resilient, locally generated, and cost-predictable energy. This will in turn deliver immediate greenhouse gas emission reductions of 38% over grid-sourced energy and lead to cleaner air for the surrounding communities by eliminating the emission of criteria pollutants, AlphaStruxure said. The electricity generated by the microgrid is enough to power 3,570 average US homes for one year. The project will also feature the largest rooftop solar array in New York City, and on any airport terminal in the United States, with all available and viable rooftop areas being used for solar.
NTO—a consortium of labour, operating, and financial partners including Ferrovial, Carlyle, JLC Infrastructure, and Ullico—is building the privately-financed world-class all-international terminal at JFK in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). The 2.4 million sq ft terminal will serve as a global gateway to the New York metropolitan area and is estimated to generate over 10,000 jobs. The first gates are expected to be open in 2026, with full completion anticipated by 2030.
Upon project completion, NTO will be the first resilient airport transit hub in the New York region that can function independently of the power grid, to maintain 100% of airport operations during power disruptions across the 23 gates and more than 177,000f sq ft of dining, retail, lounges, and recreational space.
The 11.34mW microgrid will include 7.66mW of rooftop solar, 3.68mW of fuel cells, and 2mW megawatts/4mW/hrs of battery energy storage. It will utilise re-claimed heat to generate chilled water and heating hot water. The microgrid will consist of four "power islands," each functioning as a local, integrated energy system with sources of generation, storage, advanced automation and control. The rooftop PV system will have over 13,000 solar panels, and electricity generated by the solar array alone is enough to power the equivalent of 1,039 average US homes for a year.
The system's performance is managed by AlphaStruxure's Integrate, a cyber-secure digital platform that optimises microgrid operations by compiling and analysing data across the on-site energy infrastructure. 24/7 operators predict and respond to the system in real time through the AlphaStruxure Network Operations Center. With an intelligent microgrid in place, the terminal will work toward eliminating power disruptions while maximising distributed energy resources for resilience.
"Sustainability and resilience have been core values for the New Terminal One, and we are proud to unveil our partnership with AlphaStruxure to achieve these goals," said Dr Gerrard Bushell, CEO, The New Terminal One Development at JFK. "This is a future-focused infrastructure that will facilitate the transition away from fossil fuels and sets a new standard for large-scale renewable development in New York and in the air transit sector. The partnership with AlphaStruxure also provides New Terminal One with a resilient energy solution that has price certainty, de-risking the terminal from the volatile energy markets.
“The local community of Southeast Queens will benefit from cleaner air, economic development, and the jobs accompanying this investment. AlphaStruxure's microgrid is a fundamental building block of this terminal, and we look forward to the many benefits it will provide to travellers and the community for decades to come."
AlphaStruxure's microgrid solution is designed to achieve ambitious New York State, City, and PANYNJ sustainability mandates, and will contribute towards the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which requires 70% of electricity generation to be from renewable sources by 2030 and 100% by 2040.
Image: AlphaStruxure
