PremiumThe government has sought status reports from all airport operators on mapping carbon emissions, and to set targets to achieve sustainability goals
In a move to achieve 100% green airports, the Centre is likely to mandate interested parties to tap renewable energy sources, as part of bid conditions to operate airports in India, said two officials.
“The mandate to use energy from non-fossil fuel sources is likely to be incorporated in the bid document for the upcoming airports under public-private partnership. This is to aid India’s goal to reduce emissions and achieve sustainability goals in the aviation sector," said one of the officials seeking anonymity.
“The civil aviation ministry is already working with the oil ministry on a roadmap for sustainable aviation fuel. Similarly, all airports, irrespective of the size and ownership have been directed to use renewables for operations. More than 20 airports are already using renewable energy, and solar plants have been installed at over 50 airports," the second official said, seeking anonymity.
In 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India will achieve net-zero carbon emission by 2070 at COP26 in Glasgow. India aims to reduce emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 levels and achieve about 50% of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources.
The government has sought status reports from all airport operators on mapping carbon emissions, and to set targets to achieve sustainability goals.
Renewable energy use is not new to Indian airports. Cochin International Airport Ltd took a lead globally, becoming the first airport to be powered by solar energy in August 2015. Its installed capacity or output is 40 Mega Watt peak (MWp), quantum of power generation is 160,000 units on an average a day, while power consumption is 150,000 units per day.
Delhi airport is also certified under “Level 3+, Neutrality", the first airport to achieve carbon-neutral status in Asia-Pacific. At Level 3+, airports compensate for carbon emissions that can’t be reduced via other means. India’s busiest as well as largest airport with annual passenger traffic of 65-70 million is looking to achieve net-zero carbon emission by 2030.
Similarly, Bengaluru International airport is powered by nearly 100% renewable power with an installed capacity of 70 million units, leading to zero- scope 2 emissions or less than 50,000 MT carbon emissions.
More airports are deploying renewables to reduce carbon emissions.
Airports Authority of India, which manages over 130 airports, aims to completely transition to electric vehicles for its airside and city-side operations by 2030.
As per National Monetization Pipeline (NMP), 25 Airports Authority of India (AAI) airports namely Bhubaneshwar, Varanasi, Amritsar, Trichy, Indore, Raipur, Calicut, Coimbatore, Nagpur, Patna, Madurai, Surat, Ranchi, Jodhpur, Chennai, Vijayawada, Vadodara, Bhopal, Tirupati, Hubli, Imphal, Agartala, Udaipur, Dehradun and Rajahmundry have been earmarked for leasing over the years 2022 to 2025.
AAI has leased out eight of its airports under Public Private Partnership (PPP) for operation, management and development on long term lease basis. These include Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Mangaluru, Guwahati, Jaipur, and Thiruvananthapuram.