COCHIN: Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) has been awarded for being World’s first fully solar-powered airport, the Earth prize-2018, the highest environmental award instituted by the United Nations.
VJ Kurian, Managing Director, CIAL received a communiqué signed by Erik Solheim, UN Global Chief of Environment. The communique said “This is the United Nations’ highest environmental honour and reflects your leadership in the use of sustainable energy. As the world’s first fully solar-powered airport, you set an ambitious example that we hope many others will follow.” On September 26, the award will be presented on the sidelines of the General Assembly in New York. In August 2015 CIAL became power neutral with the commissioning of its 12 MWp solar power plant. It scaled up the installed capacity to 30 MWp by April 2018.
“The solar capacity will be increased to 40 MWp, By September, with a power potential of 60 million units a year and resulting in a cost saving of approximately ₹40 crore a year to the airport, We showed the world that big infrastructure projects like airports can operate using fully alternative energy sources.” Kurien commented.