Indian Airports powered by solar plants

India is using renewable energy technology to power 30 of its largest airports in a big way. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to place 50 MW output solar arrays.

The solar plants are being put up at the airports to meet not only their own requirements but also to feed the surplus power generated to the local grid. According to the AAI, airports are viable and highly practical solar power plant locations, since they tend to occupy large areas of land.

Setting up solar power plants is not only a means to increase the sustainability of operating airports in India - carbon emissions output will also decrease significantly – it is also good business sense. With the Indian airport solar plants in place, the airports will have to pay substantially lower energy bills.

AAI’s plan include installations of 50 MW capacity plants (cumulative capacity in Phase I) which will be enhanced to 150 MW(cumulative) over a period of time. The plants will be installed on surplus land available with AAI and at large roof tops of AAI’s structures.