Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi has become the first airport in India to run entirely on hydro and solar power after switching to renewable energy sources. The move will help in the reduction of energy emissions of 2 lakh tonnes CO2 per year, a significant step toward achieving Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030.
The onsite solar power plants provide approximately 6% of the airport’s electricity needs. These plants can be found on the airside and roofs of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport’s cargo terminals.
Reduce indirect energy emissions of CO2
Since June 1, 2022, Delhi Airport has used renewable energy from the hydropower plant to meet the remaining 94 percent of its demand, effectively ending its reliance on non-renewable power. This move will assist Delhi Airport in reducing indirect energy emissions by 200,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
For this purpose, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a consortium led by GMR Infrastructure NSE -4.42 percent Limited (GIL) that manages and operates the Delhi Airport, has signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with a Himachal Pradesh-based hydropower producing company for the supply of hydroelectricity to the airport until 2036.
DIAL also has a 7.84 MW solar power plant on the airside, and as part of stakeholder collaboration, the Cargo terminal operators at Delhi Airport have added a 5.3 MW rooftop solar power plant.
Delhi Airport target towards Net Zero Carbon Emission airport by 2030
“DIAL has been working relentlessly towards environmental sustainability and has set its target to make Delhi Airport a Net Zero Carbon Emission airport by 2030, way ahead of the global target of 2050. To achieve this, DIAL has adopted a Green Transportation program recently and now we achieved another milestone of the Green Energy Program for IGIA,” said CEO-DIAL Videh Kumar Jaipuriar.
Delhi Airport has also started using hydropower plant
Delhi Airport has been using solar power for a long time and it is now fulfilling its major electricity needs from a hydropower plant.
Delhi airport also uses taxibots
As part of environmental sustainability initiatives, DIAL has introduced TaxiBots at the IGI Airport in 2019. The use of Taxibots by airlines has helped reduce the consumption of fuel by an aircraft during taxiing, and correspondingly reduction of carbon emissions.
Also adopted single-use plastic-free airport initiative
As part of the Green Transportation Program, DIAL has begun the adoption of electric vehicles and will gradually phase out all diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles. DIAL will purchase 62 EVs in the first phase, which will join the fleet in 3 to 4 months. It has also adopted the initiative to become a “single-use plastic-free airport”, and got certified by a third-party agency.
