Cochin
International airport , the country's first airport built under PPP
model has scripted another chapter in aviation history by becoming the
first airport in the world that completely operates on solar power.
Hon.Chief Minister Mr.Oommen Chandy inaugurated the 12 MWp solar power
plant, on 18th August 2015, comprising of 46,150 solar panels
laid across 45 acres near cargo complex. Now, Cochin airport's solar
power plant is producing 50,000 to 60,000 units of electricity per day
to be consumed for all its operational functions, which technically
make the airport ‘ absolutely power neutral ‘.
CIAL, which has always been adhered
to the philosophy of sustainable development, ventured into the Solar PV
sector during March 2013, by installing a 100 kWp solar PV Plant on the
roof top of the Arrival Terminal Block. This was a trend setter in the
field of grid-connected solar PV in the State of Kerala. The plant was
installed by the Kolkata based M/s Vikram Solar Pvt. Ltd. 400 numbers of
polycrystalline modules of 250Wp with five numbers of 20kW capacity
Refu-sol make string inverters were used in this plant. After the
successful commissioning of this plant, CIAL installed a 1 MWp solar PV
power plant partly on the roof top and partly on the ground in the
Aircraft Maintenance Hangar facility within the Airport premises. This
plant was installed by Emvee Photovoltaic Power Pvt. Ltd. 4000 numbers
of monocrystalline modules of 250Wp with thirty three numbers of 30kW
capacity Delta make string inverters were used in this plant, which is
the first Megawatt scale installation of Solar PV system in the State of
Kerala.
Both these plants are equipped with a
SCADA system, through which remote monitoring is carried out. After
commissioning, these plants have so far saved more than 550MT of CO2
emission contributing to the efforts of CIAL towards minimizing
environmental degradation.
Inspired
by the success of the above plants, CIAL decided to set up a larger
scale 12MWp solar PV plant as part of its green initiatives. This was
set up in an area of about 45 acres near the International Cargo
complex. The work has been awarded to M/s Bosch Ltd. The project
components include PV modules of 265Wp capacity manufactured by
Renesola, and Inverters of 1MW capacity manufactured by ABB India. With
the commissioning, this installation is expected to generate around
48000 units per day, which along with the electricity generated from the
existing 1.10 MWp plants, making the total output around 52,000 units a
day, and would be sufficient to meet the power requirement of the
Airport. This is a grid connected system without battery storage and a
power banking module with the Kerala State electricity board (KSEB)has
been worked out; wherein, CIAL gives as much power it produces (in day
time) to (the grid of)KSEB and ' buy ' back the power from them when
needed (especially in night).
"When we had realized that the power
bill is on the higher side, we contemplated possibilities. Then the idea
of tapping the green power came in. We consume around 48,000 unit (KWh)
a day. So if we can produce the same, that too by strictly adhering to
the green and sustainable development model of infrastructure
development that we always follow, that would transcend a message to the
world. Now this has become the world's first airport fully operates on
solar power " -Said Mr.V.J.Kurian IAS, Managing Director, Cochin
International Airport Ltd. " Infact, we are producing a few megawatt of
extra energy which is being contributed to the state's power grid
"-added Mr.Kurian.
This plant will produce 18 million
units of power from ' sun ' annually-the power equivalent to feed 10,000
homes for one year.Over the next 25 years, this green power project
will avoid carbon dioxide emissions from coal fired power plants by more
than 3 lakh metric tons, which is equivalent to planting 3 million
trees or not driving 750 miles.
Mr.K.Babu,
Hon’Minister for Fisheries,ports &Excise chaired the function.
Mr.M.A.Yusuffali, Director, CIAL, rendered the welcome address and
Mr.Aryadan Mohammed, Hon’Minister rendered the keynote
address.Mr.V.J.Kurian IAS, Managing Director, CIAL made the introductory
remarks. Hon’ble Ministers Mr.V.K.Ibrahim Kunju, Mr.K.V.Thomas
MP,Mr.Anwar Sadath MLA, Mr.Jose Thettayil MLA, Mr.Andrea Christ,
Dy.Consul General,German Consulate, KSEB, Mr.C.V.Jacob,
Mr.N.V.George, Mr.E.M.Babu, CIAL Directors, Mr.A.C.K.Nair, Airport
Director, Mr.A.M.Shabeer, Executive Director Mr.Jose Thomas, General
Manager, CIAL participated at the function.
Source- http://cial.aero/Pressroom
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