India plans to have 146 MW of solar power capacity at its airports. While the government didn't share any details when exactly it plans to have this capacity installed, it did announce on July 9 that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will generate 116 MW through 16 airports.
A total of 16 airports across the country have 5.4 MW already installed. By the end of this year, 11 more airports will see an additional capacity of 24.1 MW becoming operational. To this, the administration will add 116 MW at 16 more airports, bringing the total to around 146 MW.
The Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ashok Gajapathi Raju told the AAI Chairperson in a meeting that the AAI should now look at feeding excess power to the national grid.
India has the world's first solar powered airport that runs completely on solar power in Cochin of Kerala state. The capital's airport in New Delhi is also partly solar-powered – with a 7.84 MW PV system.
In May 2016, the Ministry had instructed all airports to install solar panels (see Indian Airports Go Solar). Already in 2014, the AAI has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to set up solar power plants at its airports. Back then, the AAI had identified 30 airports to establish these solar power plants on the surplus land available with AAI and on rooftops of its structures. It was decided then that the AAI will install a cumulative capacity of 50 MW under Phase I, to be enhanced to a cumulative of 150 MW.
AAI operates a total of 125 airports including 11 international airports, 8 customs airports, 81 domestic airports and 25 civil enclaves at defence airfields.
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