The Cochin International Airport Ltd in Kerala has achieved another milestone after it installed one of the biggest floating solar power plants in the country.
Installed over two artificial lakes, the CIAL has commissioned plants with a capacity of 452 KWh, raising its total capacity to 40 MWp. The CIAL had become the world’s first solar-powered airport in 2015.
The plants will help produce about 1.6 lakh units power per day, as against the 1.3 lakh units required. These cost effective plants floating on the 130 acres of CIAL golf course use French technology. Nearly 1,300 photovoltaic panels are mounted for effective power generation.
“CIAL’s trysts with the experiments in producing green energy achieved another milestone with this installation as the company has introduced cost-effective high-density polyethylene floats. Using French technology, 1300 photovoltaic panels were mounted and laid over two artificial lakes located in the 130-acre CIAL golf course,” the company said in a statement.
CIAL founder and managing director, VJ Kurian attributed the success to the company’s efforts to bring in new technologies while relentlessly striving to attain global standards.
The pre-commissioning trials of the plants, done at a cost of Rs 2 lakh, are now successfully producing power with maximum output efficiency in eight panels spread across the airport premises by the CIAL.
These solar plants, spread in one acres of land, is connected to Kerala State Electricity Board power grid.
With the help of 12 artificial lakes, the treated water from the sewage treatment plant of the airport is used for water harvesting, thus achieving the idea of total sustainability management. The water is then used for irrigating the lawns of the golf course.
Back in 2015, the Kerala airport had become a role model for other airports to switch to green energy.
