KOCHI: The Kerala Management Association (KMA) recently organised a lecture on Green Initiatives, as part of their ‘Leader Insight’ lecture series. The event featured Mini Joseph, general manager of New Ventures at Cochin International Airport (CIAL), as the keynote speaker.
She highlighted the shift CIAL made towards solar energy in 2012, prompted by a significant increase in electricity charges. The government raised the electricity rates for airports from Rs 4 to Rs 7 per unit, causing CIAL’s daily electricity costs to surge from Rs 7 crore to Rs 12 crore. This led CIAL to explore solar energy, initially viewed as a profitable venture. “Later, it became clear that solar power was the most environmentally friendly option,” she said.
Mini said CIAL has become the first airport globally to operate entirely on solar energy. As the airport’s energy needs have grown to 120,000 units daily, its solar power generation has reached 150,000 units per day. The surplus electricity generated is supplied to the Kerala State Electricity Board.
She emphasised the importance of promoting rooftop solar power projects and urged the aviation sector to lead in reducing carbon emissions. She added that CIAL’s BOT model hydropower project in Kozhikode is on the verge of becoming a reality. KMA president Bibu Punnooran, Anil Varma, and Algiers Khalid attended.