Did you know India is home to the World’s first Solar Powered Airport? Yes, you heard it right! Cochin International Airport, Kochi, Kerala is the first airport in the world that totally operates on solar power. Apparently, in the next 25 years, this project will avoid 300,000 tons of CO2, which is equivalent to planting 3 million trees.
Totally something India should be proud of, we feel! On 18th August 2015, Chief Minister Mr Oommen Chandy inaugurated the production of the 12 MWp solar power plant. It comprised of 46,150 solar panels laid across 45 acres near the cargo complex.
Cochin airport’s solar power plant produces 50,000 to 60,000 units of electricity per day to be consumed for all its operational functions. And this is what makes the airport absolutely power neutral. Read on to know more about it.
Cochin International Airport (CIAL) Is A Trendsetter In India
The Cochin International airport (CIAL) building block laid in 2013, was first introduced as the Solar PV sector in March 2013. This was done by installing a 100 kWp solar PV Plant on the rooftop of the Arrival Terminal Block and soon ended up becoming a trendsetter in the field of grid-connected solar PV in Kerala.
Installed by the Kolkata-based M/s Vikram Solar Pvt. Ltd, 400 numbers polycrystalline modules of 250Wp with five numbers of 20kW capacity Refu-sol make string inverters were used in this plant. And once the commissioning of this plant was successful, CIAL installed a 1 MWp solar PV power plant partly on the rooftop and partly on the ground in the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar facility within the Airport premises.
CIAL In Kerala To Set Up Larger Scale 12MWp Solar PV Plant
CIAL was immensely Inspired by the success of the already installed plants. And that’s what led them to set up a larger scale 12MWp solar PV plant as part of its green initiatives. Talking about the same, Mr.V.J.Kurian IAS, Managing Director, Cochin International Airport Ltd, said during an interview, that they decided to tap into green power to tackle the high power bills. The green and sustainable infrastructure development followed by them helps them produce a few megawatts of extra energy.
Well, way to go CIAL! We are rooting for you.
All Image Courtesy – Unsplash