KOCHI: The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which recently became the first solar-powered airport in the world by setting up a 12-MWp solar power plant with 46,150 solar panels in 45 acres near the airport, is planning to double solar power production by installing more panels.
“The director board meeting of the CIAL, held in Thiruvananthapuram the other day, decided to scale up production to 26.5 MW - the highest quantity of solar power produced by any airport in the world,” said CIAL officials. The board’s decision should be seen as a big step head of opening of the new international terminal, scheduled for May 2016.
According to officials, the target will principally comprise the existing 13.1 MW solar power; additional 2.4 MW from the 10,000 panels to be installed near the existing plant adjacent to the cargo complex; 3MW from the panels to be set up on the premises of the airport hanger; 1 MW from the panels to be installed in the car parking area and 7 MW from the panels to be installed on the 3-km-long irrigation pipeline at the airport. “With this ambitious target, the airport will become the world’s largest green energy producing airport, surpassing international airports in developed countries,” said the officials.
After commissioning of the new solar power station at the airport on August 18, the CIAL will be capable of generating 51 lakh units of solar energy. The power plant is generating around 52,000 units per day, in addition to electricity generated from the existing 1.10 MWp plants, technically making the airport ‘absolutely power neutral.’
“In the next 25 years, the existing green power project will avoid carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants by more than three lakh metric tonnes, which is equivalent to planting 30 lakh trees or not driving 750 million miles,” the officials said.
“Work on upgrading the solar power plant will be completed in eight months,” added the officials.
Novel way
■ After commissioning of the new solar power station at the airport on August 18, the CIAL will be capable of generating 51 lakh units of solar energy.
■ The power plant is generating around 52,000 units per day, in addition to electricity generated from the existing 1.10 MWp plants