It’s official: the Long Beach Airport is generating electricity now, thanks to solar power. Thanks, solar power! (Call us back when they start making their own whiskey.)

As the Press-Telegram’s Karen Robes reports, yesterday was throw-the-switch day on six “trees” of solar panels which follow the sun–rotating 15 degrees after it, every hour.

The set-up is supposed to “offset nearly a half-million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over the system’s 25-year lifespan,” plus save upwards of $5,000 a year, Robes writes.

Running the panels for a quarter-century is also supposed to equal planting three acres of trees–a Hobson’s Choice to those of us who think trees are better-looking and make better neighbors than solar panels.

But this is where we are now: making up for lost time. It’s a good start.

Tags: California, Karen Robes, Long Beach, long beach airport, press telegram, solar panels, Southern California, The District Weekly, Theo Douglas