Federal government rescinds $6.7 million energy grant for Indianapolis airport solar farm

The federal government has pulled a $6.7 million clean energy grant previously allocated to the Indianapolis International Airport as the administration purges grants related to clean energy.

The Indianapolis Airport Authority confirmed to IndyStar on Oct. 7 that the federal government rescinded the $6.7 million commitment previously made by the Federal Aviation Authority. Five days earlier, The U.S. Department of Energy announced it was terminating grants supporting more than 220 projects worth more than $7.5 billion to save the government money. Initially, most of the cuts occured in blue-leaning states.

With the largest airport solar farm in the world, the Indianapolis airport farm spans 183 acres and has 87,478 solar panels, producing enough energy to power more than 3,600 average homes in America each year.

The Indianapolis Airport Authority received about $22.5 million in grant money in July 2023 and was the largest benefactor from a total pot of around $92 million doled out that month by the FAA. The airport had planned to use the money to add more solar panels to its existing farm and provide maintenance to existing infrastructure.

By generating energy, the solar farm lowers operating costs at the airport. The Biden administration had supported projects to help airports reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

“As we build out this sustainable infrastructure, it has the potential to expand in the future with the goal of meeting 100 percent of the terminal’s energy needs,” Todd Cavender, the IAA director of environment and sustainability, said at the time.

The airport never received the $6.7 million grant and had not begun work on the expansion project, a spokesperson said Oct. 7.

Going forward, the airport will shift priorities to adjust to the funding loss and continue to look for other sources of money to expand the solar farm, a spokesperson said.

“We continue to be committed to working with the Federal Aviation Administration and our elected officials, like Congressman Andre Carson, on future funding opportunities when they become available,” a statement from IAA officials said.

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Renewable energy has been hit hard this year by the federal administration, as Trump scrapes clean energy efforts spearheaded by the Biden administration. The administration has targeted grants that contain terms related to clean and renewable energy, including programs with the words solar, green and climate.

Trump recently said he would no longer approve new wind or solar projects, which could make it difficult for clean energy projects to find funding over the next several years.

Carson, a senior Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee representing Indianapolis, noted in a news release that support for the airport’s solar farm spanned both sides of the aisle and multiple mayoral administrations. The solar farm was initially launched in 2014 under Republican Mayor Greg Ballard.

“Infrastructure should not be partisan. There are no Democratic or Republican bridges, roads, or airports. Clean solar energy serves everyone, especially through the Indianapolis Airport solar farm,” Carson said in a statement.

Carson criticized the Trump administration for taking away money that he sees as already belonging to Indianapolis.

“It’s frustrating to watch the incompetence of this administration as they search for ‘woke’ words in program titles without any understanding of how government works or the benefits of the programs they’re slashing. This funding belongs to Indianapolis — not Trump,” Carson said in a statement.

Alysa Guffey writes business, health and development stories for IndyStar. Have a story tip? Contact her at amguffey@gannett.com or on X: @AlysaGuffeyNews.