AKIPRESS.COM - 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 will have 50000 to 60000 thousand units of electricity per day to be consumed for all its operational functions, which technically make the airport ‘ absolutely power neutral ‘.

CIAL decided to set up a larger scale 12MWp solar PV plant as part of its green initiatives. This will come up in an area of about 45 acres near the International Cargo premises. 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.

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.