Page 18 - Environmental_Green Technologies

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2.4 Best practices for a greener future

Case 1: Cochin International Airport

The Indian Cochin International Airport is the world’s first solar-powered airport with more than 46.000
solar panels converting the sunlight into energy. The airport started with a project starting with the instal-
ment of 400 solar panels in 2013. The main reason for the instalment of solar panels was the success of
the project in 2013 and the cheapness of the energy provided through renewable sources. The solar plant
is producing more energy than the needed, the rest is banked with the state power grid for special re-
quired / needed moments (Cochin, 2015).

Case 2: Canal Solar Power Project

The Canal Solar Power Project is a project in the city of Gujarat, India, based on the establishment of solar
panels in the network of canals of Narmada. The project was awarded to SunEdison. The pilot project de-
veloped by Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (GSECL) in collaboration and support from Sardar Sarovar
Narmada Nigam Ltd. (SSNNL), the organization that maintains and owns the canal network.

The usage of the banks for covering the canal by installing solar power panels meant an exploitation of
the existing infrastructure, which saved an additional investment to the government. The used part of the
canal is the 10% which is estimated to generate 2.200 MW of solar power (The Economic Times, 2013).

Source: Canal Solar Power Project (erewise, 2013)