Kochi Airport grows Vegetables under Solar Power Plant

The energy self-sufficient, Kochi Airport grows Vegetables and produced almost 40 tonnes of vegetables in 2016.

Cochin International Airport generates 50,000 units of electricity daily from its 40 MWp Solar Power Plant and grows organic vegetables beneath and between those panels. Using a combination of crop management and drip irrigation, a variety of vegetables are grown over approximately 45 acres of land in between the panels. The water used to clean the nearly 46,000 photovoltaic solar panels does not contain detergent so it can be used to grow vegetables on the ground underneath.

The integrated concept provides power for airport services and feeds the 8,000 employees in diverse occupations who serve the travelling public and grow the organic produce.

The moisture retained in the soil by the plant roots also helps keep the panels dust free and saves the cost of de-weeding the land. Fresh vegetables and fruits can be bought from an outlet near the arrivals area at the Cochin international airport.

Cochin Airport and its leadership are showing a way to make airports a viable part of the communities they serve.