India is also working hard on its renewable energy infrastructure, and its Cochin International airport is the first in the world to go completely solar. Thousands and thousands of solar panels are being used to energize the big airport (by India’s standards), and now it has stopped paying electricity bills altogether.
These photovoltaic panels are spread over an area of 45 acres around the airport which was lying useless under the Airport administration. German company Bosch was contacted by the Indians, and it arrived at a figure of 48,000-50,000 kilowatts to power up the entire airport and even provide some surplus as well.
The entire facility cost around 620 million rupees or 9.3 million $ and the payback period is estimated to be around six years thanks to the lowered cost of solar panels. Bosch was very effective in setting it up and completed the whole project in a record four months. The Cochin International Airport, as a result, is the World’s only solar-powered airport. Also due to new construction of an international terminal and increased power demands, the number of solar panels would be significantly increased.
All around India, airports are following the example of Cochin Airport and going solar. However, it is is difficult for them since other ones are quite bigger in size. Kolkata International airport is also planning to cut its electricity bill by one-third by commissioning a 70-acre solar power plant. All in all, the solar revolution has started in India and the future looks bright!