Anticipating its rising energy needs, the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has decided to double its solar energy generation capacity from the existing 13.1 MW.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the director board of CIAL held on Friday. The airport company’s move comes in the wake of the fast progressing construction of its state-of-the-art new international terminal.
CIAL’s solar power project with an installed capacity of 12 MW was inaugurated on August 18. This along with the previously installed solar power capacity of 1.1 MW made CIAL the first fully solar energy-powered airport in the world.
Around 52,000 units of energy is being generated using the photovoltaic solar panels as against the airport’s daily power consumption of around 50,000 units. However, the consumption is likely to be doubled once the new international terminal spread over 15 lakh sq.ft becomes operational.
The airport company’s decision to install more panels is to meet that demand and retain its unique status as a fully solar energy-powered airport. At present, the solar power project comprising 46,000 panels is spread over 45 acres alongside the cargo complex. Another 10,000 plus panels would be installed in the remaining space here to generate an additional 2.40 MW power.
Panels to be installed atop the building housing hanger would help generate 3 MW and those to be laid above the new park are expected to bring another 1 MW to the airport’s power kitty. Generation of another 7 MW through panels to be installed over the three km-long irrigation canal would take the total installed capacity to 26.50 MW.
