The Chattanooga Airport Authority board on Monday approved a contract for the second phase of a large solar array at the southwest corner of the airfield.
Inman Solar and Young Electric will lead the project that, when completed, will provide 85 percent of the electricity used at the airport.
The CMA is contracting with TVA to put the solar output on its grid.
Terry Hart, airport president, said airports soon may face requirements for "carbon credits," and he said the solar complex will go a long way in filling that requirement.
There were six different bidders for the contract.
In another "green" move, the airport is installing equipment so that airplanes can shut down their engines while they are at the gate.
When they do it "burns fuel and hurts the air quality," officials said.
A former cycle shop at 103 Jubilee Dr. owned by the CMA will have new life under a lease with Farrow Service. It will be an auto repair shop and will sell parts.
Richard Jenner, a longtime Chattanooga pilot, complained about runway lights, saying they need much improvement.
He said pilots seeking to find the airport at night "look for the black hole."
Pilot Tom Snow agreed that, "It is hard to find at night."
The airport honored Bobby Atkins, director of maintenance, on his 25th anniversary at the airport.