Florida’s Naples Airport adds solar to new warehouse storage building

Naples Airport in Florida is putting a 100-kW solar system on the roof of a new warehouse storage building on its campus, with the project expected to be fully running by the end of summer. Airport officials say the setup will cut costs while also supporting environmental goals, part of a broader push that has included switching to cleaner fuels and converting ground vehicles and equipment from gas to electric.

The rooftop array was designed and installed by PayOli Energy, working alongside general contractor Owen-Ames-Kimball, which built the warehouse itself. The system is described as "non-penetrating," meaning it does not puncture the roof, which helps preserve the building's roof warranty. It was also built to hold up under Florida's harsh weather conditions.

This is a municipal project rather than something homeowners can apply for, but it points to a wider trend: solar installers are increasingly offering rooftop systems that avoid drilling into roofing material, a detail that matters for anyone worried about voiding a roof warranty when adding panels. The airport also had to go through an interconnection agreement with Florida Power & Light, a step required by the state's Public Service Commission for anyone generating their own power and connecting it to the grid — a process that residential solar customers in Florida go through as well, though usually at a much smaller scale.