HANOVER TWP., LEHIGH CO., Pa. — A renewable energy company is exploring whether to build a new solar power installation at Lehigh Valley International Airport.
Allentown-based Sanik Solar officials on Monday told the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority it's in the early stages of creating a solar farm on about 61 acres.
The land is near the airport’s northeast corner, along Airport Road, Weaversville Road and Schoenersville Road. The land currently is leased for agriculture.
“These are small parcels that we can’t really do anything else with.”Darren Betters, airport authority’s business development director
“These are small parcels that we can’t really do anything else with,” said Darren Betters, the airport authority’s business development director.
If the airport authority approves the plan, Sanik Solar will have two years to work out whether the project is financially viable.
If the solar project moves forward, the company will sign a 20-year lease for land near LVIA, with the option to extend the ground lease to 30 years.
Over the course of the lease, Sanik Solar will pay the airport authority a flat fee regardless of how much power its panels generate.
During the initial 20-year lease term, the project would generate about $3 million for the airport authority, Betters said.
“It’s not a great return, but it’s much better than the ag leases,” he said.
When the lease expires, the company will have to remove its equipment and return the land to its original state.
Air cargo facility stalled
Meanwhile, some work toward building a new air cargo facility at LVIA is on hold while the Federal Highway Administration reviews the draft agreement governing a $40.79 million INFRA grant.
“They basically told us to sit tight. We don’t know how long it’s going to take, so we’re just kind of waiting.”LNAA Director of Planning and Programming Ryan Meyer
“They basically told us to sit tight," LNAA Director of Planning and Programming Ryan Meyer said. "We don’t know how long it’s going to take, so we’re just kind of waiting.”
The U.S. Highway Administration told airport officials “the review time is now really questionable,” LNAA Executive Director Thomas Stoudt said.
“They don’t know how long legal will take to review the agreement. They can’t give us any estimates.”
Work funded through other programs, including design work on taxiways and other infrastructure for aircraft to access the air cargo facility, still is under way.
January traffic
In other business Monday, officials said more than 74,000 passengers passed through LVIA in January — a nearly 9% increase year over year, and the highest-traffic January for the airport since at least 2018.
“Fortunately, our winter operations team continues to be up to the challenge of keeping the Airport safe and passengers flying from ABE.”LNAA Executive Director Thomas Stoudt
“There’s been no shortage of winter weather and cold temperatures which certainly can affect air travel,” Stoudt wrote in a statement released Monday.
“Fortunately, our winter operations team continues to be up to the challenge of keeping the Airport safe and passengers flying from ABE.”
The increase was largely driven by United Airlines. The airline added more flights and additional capacity over the past year, according to airport spokesman Colin Riccobon.
The amount of cargo handled at LVIA, however, declined nearly 6% in January 2025 compared with January 2024.
