Solar Energy Canopy Installation Nearly Complete At PA Turnpike’s Headquarters Building In Dauphin County

On September 15, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced it is putting the finishing touches on a solar canopy over part of the parking lot at its Central Administration Building in Dauphin County. 

Construction of the 15-foot structure aligns with the PA Turnpike’s sustainability goals, including gaining energy independence by 2040.  

“As we drive toward becoming America’s first Sustainable Superhighway, we are excited to invest in renewable, clean energy right here in Dauphin County,” said PA Turnpike Commission CEO Mark Compton. “For 85 years and counting, we’ve been at the forefront of transportation innovation. Creating a sustainable future is the right thing to do – for our customers, our financial partners and the entire Commonwealth.”

One hundred and eighty-six (186) solar panels will power charging stations for the 20 electric vehicles (EVs) that park beneath, in addition to offsetting energy costs at the Central Administration Building. 

The canopy is expected to generate 136,400 kWh of electricity in its first year – the equivalent of an electric car driving the length of the PA Turnpike more than 750 times.

Funded by non-toll revenue generated from its Greensburg microgrid, the Central Administration Building Solar project, including both roof top and canopy for the inductive charging showcase, is a $2.2 million investment with an approximate 10-year return on investment. 

Excess energy will be sold back to PPL Electric, the Commission’s energy provider.

The solar canopy will eventually power the PA Turnpike’s planned Stationary Inductive Charging Showcase, which aims to enhance technical and operational knowledge of in-road EV charging, with the long-term goal of introducing the technology along the Mon/Fayette Expressway. 

In January, the Commission selected Electreon Wireless to install three charging pads that will be powered by a solar canopy. That project will begin in 2027. 

“This project is the backbone of the PA Turnpike’s inductive charging strategy to create the next generation of highway travel,” said Keith Jack, Assistant Chief of Facilities Operations and former chair of the PA Turnpike Commission’s Sustainability Committee. “It will help us deliver EV charging accessibility to our fleet and provide the tools and knowledge necessary to incorporate additional emerging technologies into our roadway.” 

Five hundred and thirty-seven (537) solar panels were added to the roof as part of the Commission’s roof replacement this summer, a project that is part of its capital plan. 

The solar canopy installation adds three more inches of insulation for higher efficiency and is expected to pay for itself within ten years.  

Last year, the PA Turnpike built a solar microgrid at its Western Regional Office that will power the PA Turnpike Commission’s 27,000-square-foot office, as well as the PSP Troop T New Stanton barracks. 

The microgrid, which operates in conjunction with a natural-gas generator as a backup, is the second of its kind that the Commission has built.  

The PA Turnpike Commission’s first solar project came in 2021 when it installed a microgrid at the Greensburg Maintenance Facility in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County. 

A tolling industry first, the array of 3,224 (405 watt) solar panels generates 1.305 MW of power. 

Alongside a continuous, 1.2 megawatt natural-gas generator, the microgrid is projected to yield $450,000 in annual savings, a new revenue stream and eventual energy independence. 

Visit the Pennsylvania Turnpike Sustainability webpage to learn more about sustainability projects.

Related Articles This Week:

-- PUC Study Warns Rapid Data Center Growth Will Cause PJM Electric Grid To Fail Reliability Standard In 2027, If No Further Actions Taken  [PaEN] 

-- PPL Electric Files Proposal With PUC To Make Electric Transmission Costs More Transparent, Establishes New Way To Assign Costs Incurred For Data Centers To Those Customers  [PaEN]  

-- PA GreenGov Council, Penn State Sustainability Host 2026 Sustainability Week Oct. 5-9 With Timely Webinars Exploring The Future Of Pennsylvania's Energy  [PaEN] 

-- Solar Energy Canopy Installation Nearly Complete At PA Turnpike’s Headquarters Building In Dauphin County  [PaEN] 

-- Allegheny County, City Of Pittsburgh, Solar United Neighbors Launch Switch Together To Help Local Homeowners Reduce Energy Costs By Going Solar  [PaEN] 

-- DEP, PHFA Host Sept. 24 Webinar On New Homeowner Energy Efficiency Loan Program To Reduce Your Energy Costs  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Utility Dive: PA PUC Report: PJM Faces 2030 Reliability Crisis If Data Center Load Growth Continues; PJM Agrees Demand Growing Faster Than The Ability To Build New Power Sources

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: PUC Report Warns Of More Power Outages As A.I. Data Centers Surge In Pennsylvania 

-- WHYY - Sophia Schmidt: A.I. Data Center Growth Could Mean Blackouts In Coming Year, PA PUC Report Says

-- The Center Square: PUC Warns A.I. Data Center Demand Threatens Electricity Grid Reliability

-- PA Senate Republican Statement On PUC Power Grid Report [No Solutions Included]

[Posted: September 15, 2026] PA Environment Digest