Huge solar field to be built near Worcester. Here’s what to know

[This story has been corrected to indicate 22.3 million kilowatt hours annually and all power generated by the field will go into the electricity grid.]

One of the largest solar fields in Massachusetts will be built at Worcester Regional Airport, according to Massport, the state agency that owns and operates the airport.

The solar field is expected to be up and running by 2028, said a Massport spokesperson. It will be located on 44 acres on the Leicester side of the airport that is removed from the airfield, according to Massport’s April 17 press release.

Massport and Kearsarge Solar are project partners, and Massport didn’t respond to the question of how much it will cost. The agency said Kearsarge will cover the bill.

The field is expected to generate 22.3 million kilowatt hours annually of clean energy, Massport said. That amount is roughly equivalent to Massport’s total electricity use for all of its facilities, except for the electricity used by its tenants including airlines and cruise lines, according to an agency spokesperson.

“This project underscores Massport’s strong commitment to sustainability and reinforces our responsibility to minimize our environmental footprint across all of our facilities as we work toward achieving our Net Zero goal,” said Rich Davey, Massport’s chief executive officer, in a prepared statement. “Transforming this underutilized land at Worcester Regional Airport into one of the largest solar fields in the state is a win for the environment, a win for the community, and a smart step toward a more resilient future.” 

The state’s Department of Public Utilities signed off on the project. Work on the design will start in July, according to a Massport spokesperson.

Massport will benefit from approximately $21 million of Alternative On-Bill Credits over a 20-year term. An agency spokesperson said all power generated by the field will go into the electricity grid.

Benefits from the field include cutting electricity demand and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“With this project, Massport is again demonstrating that not only is it possible to grow our economy and build clean energy, it’s actually cheaper — once that solar is built, it’s generating free electrons, reducing emissions and air pollution, and making our grid more resilient,” said Melissa Hoffer, climate chief in Gov. Maura Healey’s administration. “That saves ratepayers money and yields health cost savings.”

Massport currently has over 1 megawatts of solar photovoltaic installed across its facilities, generating more than 500 megawatt-hours of power annually. That is enough power for nearly 190 average Massachusetts homes, the agency said.

Massport envisions adding up to 38 megawatts of solar capacity at various locations, including a recently completed project at Hanscom Field, the project at Worcester Regional Airport and planned projects at Framingham Logan Express and Piers Park II.

It’s estimated that increasing solar capacity will cut greenhouse gas emissions by over 20,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, said Massport.

Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on X: @henrytelegram.