GMR Hyderabad International Airport solar plant saves Rs 90 lakh a month

Hyderabad: The GMR Hyderabad International Airport saves Rs 90 lakh a month thanks to solar power plant installed on its premises.

Inching towards clean energy, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) has crossed another green milestone with the commissioning of its second phase 5 mw solar power plant.

With this, GHIAL's total solar power capacity has now increased to 10 mw. In 2015, the airport commissioned a 5 mw solar plant for its captive consumption. Spread over 45 acres, more than 30,000 solar panels have been installed to produce 10 mw. Both solar plants have advanced ABB central inverters and polycrystalline PV panels, which are far more efficient than mono-crystalline solar PV panels.

With the commissioning of the additional capacity, GHIAL would be able to reduce dependence on power by 12 million units a year, thereby saving around Rs 90 lakh a month. With this addition of solar power generation, 50 per cent of the energy requirements of the airport would be met. There would be a reduction in carbon footprint by about 28 lakh kg of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to saving 1.4 lakh full-grown trees.

GHIAL CEO Pradeep Panicker said, "This is a major milestone for us and a critical step in the right direction. As a sustainable airport operator, we have rolled out many initiatives to actively reduce carbon emissions. As a member of the ACI (Airports Council International), we have committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. We continue to do our best in that direction."