Solar capacity at airports can be upped to 200 mw: Minister

Kolkata, Dec 5 (IANS) Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Tuesday said the present solar capacity of 90 MW at various airports of the Airport Authority of India was expected to be ramped up to about 200 MW in the next one and a half years.

"The installed capacity of solar (plants) at airports of Airport Authority of India would presently be at 90 megawatt. If the states agree to provide net metering, it is not difficult to get 200-250 mw in the one and a half years’ time," he said.

He said the Central government is pushing for clean energy projects at the various airports.

After commissioning of 2 MW of roof top solar PV plant in 2016, a 15 MW grid connected solar PV plant at the Nataji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here was inaugurated by the Minister on Tuesday.

Kolkata Airport Director Atul Dikshit said the solar PV plant was developed at 67.5 acre of land within six plots, each generating a capacity of 2.5 MW, at a total cost of Rs 90 crore.

On the completion of the plant, it would generate 1.35 million units per month which would reduce Airport Authority of India’s electricity bill by approx Rs 1.2 crore per month.