Solar plant to power Chennai airport!
Posted on: 21/Jun/2014 2:22:15 PM
Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning a solar plant that will meet the airport`s electrical power requirements. It also plans the surplus power to be supplied to the grid.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in May, 2014 between AAI & Solar Energy Corporation of India, 30 airports will be solar powered.
The project is expected to generate a total of 50MW in the first phase.
This will save on power bills and also reduce carbon emissions.
The new terminals at Chennai airport eliminate the need for lights during the day but the quantity of power required of air conditioning and lighting at night is huge because the terminals are bigger than the old structures.
Solar panels will be installed on the buildings or in the space between the runways at the airport that is spread over more than 3,000 acres.
The airport now spends a lot of money to keep the land clear of grass and bushes and it is felt this is a better way to use the land.
World over, solar panels are installed in the operational area near runways. Delhi airport has panels to tap solar energy.
Chennai airport currently uses 10mva (megavolt ampere) for the new terminals, 7.55 mva for old buildings, 201 kva for residential quarters and 150kva for CISF barracks. The idea is to meet the need for power from alternate sources using the vast space in buildings and land that is available.
Details of the project, including the amount of power that will be generated at Chennai airport, are yet to be finalized.
The airport already uses appliances that conform to Bureau of Energy Efficiency with four star rating and above, sensors and timers to switch off lights, energy efficient chillers and variable speed drives to improve efficiency of air conditioning plants.
