India’s Cochin International Airport installs 12MW solar plant

India’s Cochin International Airport (CIAL), located in the state of Kerala, has installed a 12MW solar plant to address its energy requirements.

Installed with an investment of invested around INR620m ($9.5m), the solar plant comprises more than 46,000 panels spread across 45 acres, and is likely to produce 52,000 units of solar power daily, reported the Hindu.

CIAL managing director VJ Kurien said: “With the commissioning of the plant, Cochin International Airport will become the world’s first airport to be completely powered by solar energy – as its entire power requirements of about 50,000 units each day will be met through solar energy generated from these plants.”

Kurien further added the company had been able to produce 18 million units of power annually through the project that is adequate to feed around 10,000 homes for a year.

The solar plant will help the airport to reduce carbon emissions to 1.75 lakh MT over the next 25 years.

The solar plant will be inaugurated on 18 August, and has been installed by Bosch within six months through a global tender.

CIAL had previously commissioned a 100 KW peak solar power plant featuring 400 solar panels on the roof of the arrival terminal. This plant was subsequently upgraded to 1,000 KW during the same year.