CIAL wins UN’s highest environmental award
Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has been selected for the Champion of Earth Prize -2018, the highest environmental honour instituted by United Nations. CIAL has been selected for this accolade for their revolutionary idea of using solar energy for the airport, which made Cochin Airport the first airport to function fully with solar energy.
Erik Solheim, United Nation’s Global chief of Environment and Executive Director, UNEP, stated in an announcement sent to V.J.Kurian, Managing Director, CIAL, that ‘This is the United Nation’s highest environmental accolade and reflects your leadership in the use of sustainable energy”
The communiqué further adds “Previous Champion laureates range from world leaders to inspiring scientists-all visionaries who drive the world closer to its aspiration of environmental sustainability and a life of dignity for all. As the world’s first fully solar powered airport, you set an ambitious example that we hope many others will follow. The award will be presented at a gala ceremony on the sidelines of the General Assembly in New York on 26th September 2018.”
Earlier, Erik Solheim, along with his UN team visited Cochin Airport to know about its solar initiatives and held discussions with authorities including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is the Chairman of the company. During his visit Solheim had declared to the media that United Nations was intended to endorse Cochin airport officially as the world’s first airport fully powered by solar energy.
UN established Champion of Earth award in 2005 to recognize outstanding environmental leaders from the public and private sectors and from civil society. There are four categories; wherein the CIAL was chosen for ‘Action and Inspiration’, which recognizes individuals or organizations that have taken bold actions in related to conserving the environment and which inspired others to follow.
CIAL, the company which owns and operates Country’s first airport built under Public Private Partnership basis has become power neutral in 18th August 2015 with the commissioning of its 12 MWp solar power plant. It scaled up the installed capacity to 30 MWp by April 2018. V.J.Kurian, who initiated the idea has said that the UN recognition would transcend CIAL’s green ideas to a global audience.
“We set forth a great example to the world that such big infrastructure projects like Airports can be made functional using alternative sources of energy. By September 2018, the solar capacity at CIAL will be increased to 40 MWp, with a power potential of 60 million units per annum and resulting in a cost saving of approximately Rs.40 Crore per annum to the airport. This will also avoid CO2 emissions by more than 9 lakh metric tons over the next 25 years, which is equivalent to planting 90 lakh trees or not driving 2400 million miles,” added Kurian.
In order to ensure optimum land utilization CIAL has successfully implemented organic farming of vegetables in area between solar panels. The airport stands at fourth in the country in terms of international traffic and seventh in total traffic has handled ten million passengers in 2017-18.