Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), the world's first airport to run entirely on solar energy, will open a solar power plant in Payyanur with a 12 Megawatts-peak (MWp) capacity. On March 6, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would dedicate the Payyanur plant to the country on the solar plant premises at Ettukudukka. With the commissioning of the Payyanur plant, the cumulative installed capacity of CIAL solar plants has reached 50 MWp. It has seven plants on the airport premises and a solar carport. S. Suhas, the Managing Director, told the media that the solar power plants of CIAL together would produce two lakh units of power per day, whereas the daily power consumption of the airport is 1.6 lakh units a day. In 2015, CIAL became the first fully solar-powered airport in the world. The company launched many new projects to develop infrastructure, and its power needs have also increased over the years. Suhas said that CIAL is committed to using green energy effectively and sustainable development. This commitment prompted CIAL to set up solar plants and a small hydro-electrical project at Arippara, Kozhikode. The solar power field is established on 35 acres, where the airport company introduced the concept of the terrain-based installation. In the terrain-based installation, the geographical characteristics of the area are retained, and no changes were made in the land's gradient. Terrain-based installation improves land utilisation. CIAL told the media that the land area needed for solar PV installation has been reduced to nearly 2.75 acres/MW compared to 3.75 acres/MW in flat land. Therefore, the company can accommodate 35% more solar panels, which would help produce more power. The installed capacity of 50 MWp of green energy decreases carbon footprint by 2,800 metric tonnes per year. It is equal to the fresh air acquired by planting 46 lakh tree saplings within ten years or by not burning 11.9 million litre of fossil fuel. Image Source Also read: Cochin International airport launches hydropower plant