India Unveils The World’s First 100% Solar Powered Airport

alternative-21761_1280


India is introducing massive reform to tackle its air pollution problem and has begun by making a major solar power investment. As Mother Earth News reports, Cochin, a city in the South Indian state of Kerala, recently announced that its international airport will run completely on solar power from 46,150 panels laid across 45 acres.

After having six of its cities make the top 10 list of places with the worst air pollution, the country is seeking to ‘go green’ and remediate the issue. At present, India has committed to building 100-gigawatts (GW) of solar by 2022 and will also be making its airports a lot greener.

The airport in Kerala will become the first in the world to be completely powered by a 12-megawatt (MW) solar power plant.

In addition, the country’s Airport Authority plans to add another 50 MW of solar at various airports, with an ultimate goal of raising that number to 150 MW.

The 12MW solar farm is situated near the freight terminal at Cochin International. (Credit: Cochin International Airport)
The 12MW solar farm is situated near the freight terminal at Cochin International. (Credit: Cochin International Airport)

According to a press release, Cochin International’s solar power station is expected to save 300,000 tons worth of carbon emissions over the next 25 years. That’s the equivalent of planting 3 million trees or not driving 750 million miles!

The airport’s parent company, Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), will continue to explore alternate energy resources, as well. Numerous water bodies in Kerala may be taken advantage of through dam-based solar panels and other hydro power projects.

Considering that the Cochin airport is a hub for tourists and locals transiting from around the globe, this move will be a huge platform for showcasing how a greener option is feasible in the industry.

The new international terminal at the Cochin airport will be operational in May 2016.

What are your thoughts on this news? Share in the comment section below. 


This article (India Unveils The World’s First 100% Solar Powered Airport) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com

Popular on True Activist