Cochin International Airport Ltd introduced one of the biggest Floating Solar Power Plant on January 21 which have a capacity to produce 452 kWp.
Dhaliya Nazreen
First airport fully powered by solar energy | credits: CIAL
Cochin International Airport Ltd introduced one of the biggest Floating Solar Power Plant on January 21 which have a capacity to produce 452 kWp. CIAL operates as the world's first fully Solar Powered Airport and now this Floating Solar Power Plants are yet another milestone for this organization in Total Sustainability Management (TSM). Pre-commissioning trials showed that the costs of panels will be around 2 crores. The total solar installation capacity of the airport has been shoot up to 40MWp, produces about 1.6 lakh unit power a day against its daily consumption rate of 1.3 lakh units.
VJ Kurien, founder and Managing Director of CIAL, contributes his diligent efforts for bringing new technologies which shows the excellence in global standards.
CIAL has been reinventing itself since its formation. One of our innovations, which proved that relying on green energy is possible even for high-energy consumers like an airport, won us the Champions of the Earth award instituted by the UN. We are committed to the protection of nature and are trying our best to reduce carbon footprint.-VJ Kurien
In a floating Solar Power Plant the power production system is installed on a structure floating called Pontoons, which are made up of High Density Poly Ethene (HDPE). These Pontoons helps the Solar Power Panel to float over water bodies like lakes, river etc. because its density is lower than water. These Pontoons are manufactured assimilating in Ultra-Violet Rays absorber for preventing it from decolouration and degeneration. Floating Power Plants are already introduced in Japan, Brazil, USA, China, Germany, Chile and Cambodia.
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CIAL is continuously creating experiments for promoting Green Energy and it's installation is a great achievement by introducing cost effective polyethene float using French Technology. Even though the installation of floating power plants are 2 or 3 times costlier than traditional ground mounted solar power plant, CIAL used unique French Technology from North France base Ciel Terre Firm.
Keeping Solar Power Plants on water improves the panel efficiency by 10% as waterbodies helps to keep them cool. Water from the lake is used for maintaining and watering CIAL Golf course shows how efficiency CIAL said in Facebook, "Thanks to French Technology , the cost are par with ground mounted Solar plants".
The floating solar plant technology is variable and reconcilable with wide range equipment and it provide easy installation and demolition.