23.6.22

IGI: India’s first airport to function entirely on hydro and solar power

Indira Gandhi International Airport, which is India’s busiest airport, has switched to renewable sources for its energy needs. It has been using only hydro and solar power for all its energy needs since June 1 this year.

In 2015, Cochin International Airport in Kerala had become the first airport in the country to run entirely on solar energy. According to DIAL, around 6% of the Delhi airport’s electricity requirement is met from the onsite solar power plants. The airport has adopted renewable energy use from the hydropower plant for its demand of the remaining 94%, thus ending its dependency on non-renewable power.

“This move will help the Delhi airport in the reduction of indirect energy emissions of up to 200,000 tonnes of CO2 every year. DIAL has signed a longterm power purchase agreement with a Himachal Pradesh-based hydropower producing company for the supply of hydroelectricity for the airport until 2036,” said DIAL. “DIAL has been working relentlessly towards environmental sustainability and has set its target to make the Delhi airport a net zero carbon emission airport by 2030, way ahead of the global target of 2050,” said DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar.

He added, “The Delhi airport has been using solar power for a long time and it is now fulfilling its major electricity needs from a hydropower plant. Running the airport completely on renewable sources of energy is indeed a major milestone achieved by DIAL. ”

As part of environmental sustainability initiatives, DIAL had introduced TaxiBots at IGI Airport in 2019, which helped in reducing the consumption of fuel by an aircraft during taxiing, and correspondingly reduction of carbon emissions. For the green transportation programme, DIAL has initiated the adoption of electric vehicles. It plans to add 62 electric vehicles in the next three to four months.

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