38 ENVIRONMENTAL July | August 2026 AirportImprovement.com MBS As a qualified Energy Savings Company (designated by the U.S. Energy Department’s Federal Energy Management Program), Veregy guarantees the airport it will save a certain amount in annual energy costs—an arrangement Harper compares to having a warranty. The company anticipates annual revenue and energy savings of more than $400,000 for MBS. The window to recoup project costs is estimated at less than 20 years. Beyond lowering the airport’s electric bills, Canders is enthusiastic about the potential to welcome electric aircraft and increase revenue through shuttle services bringing more passengers to MBS. “In Michigan, there are four airports that have a Beta aircraft charging system in place, and we’re the fifth,” Canders reports. “We’re starting to see electric aircraft here already, and I didn’t want to be left out of that.” Parking Improvements Veregy helped guide MBS through the tax credit process. Harper explains that when the Inflation Reduction Act was enacted in 2022, tax credits were available to all government entities and for- profit private businesses. Under certain guidelines, airports could receive up to 60%, though averages ran closer to 40%, he notes. However, the current administration eliminated most of those tax credits in the past year, so airports have been on high alert to use their credits before they expire. Veregy estimates that MBS will receive more than $4 million in Inflation Reduction Act reimbursement. “It’s important for other airports to know this: If you want to take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act, you must act quickly,” Harper stresses. As Canders and his team started working through the tax credit process, they also found a way to restructure parking services and increase revenues through the same pathway. “We’ve renamed our short-term lot the Premium Lot because it’s close to the terminal, it’s covered and it has faster EV charging,” Canders explains. “We’re starting to see an increase in charging usage. In fact, Veregy gave us some pricing models for increasing our parking rates, which we had been considering already.” Harper reports that occupancy rates in the previously named short-term lot were about 20%, and now they’re up to 65% to 75% percent at key times. “At MBS, like a lot of airports, short-term parking was underutilized,” Joye says. “Covering it and renaming it Premium instead of short-term gives people the green light to understand they can park there for longer periods of time.” The airport also changed the name of its “long-term lot” to the General Lot. It’s uncovered, and now includes 15 Level 1 EV chargers. Last October, MBS was primed and ready to start collecting solar power but has had to wait for Consumers Energy to turn it on. Canders and others are looking forward to the company flipping the switch this summer. E VEREGY.COM 800.460.0995 AIRPORT SOLUTIONS VEREGY SIMPLIFIES AND ACCELERATES THE ENERGY TRANSITION FOR AIRPORTS NATIONWIDE. LEARN MORE: Solar Arrays Battery Storage EV Charging Stations Revenue Generation Demand Cost Savings Terminal Renovations Back-Up Power HVAC Upgrades Net Metering Installations included solar arrays that produce energy for the administration building and electric airfield vault.
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