Gajapati Raju praises AAI's energy conservation initiatives

New Delhi, July 13 (ANI): Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju and Minister of State Jayant Sinha reviewed progress of AAI projects on conservation of energy and maximum use of non-conventional sources of energy at all airports. Mr. Gajapati Raju appreciated the efforts made so far by AAI and directed Chairman AAI to step us its efforts for maximum use of non-conventional energy at remaining airports. The review meeting was attended by Civil Aviation Secretary and other senior officers of the ministry, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, Sudhir Raheja, regional executive directors and airports directors of different AAI regions/airports. Mr. Raheja briefed the ministers about the AAI having already installed and commissioned roof top solar plants at 16 airports (including 1 at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, Safdarjung Airport). He informed that installation of solar power projects are in progress at 11 other airports and likely to be completed during next three to four months. In addition to this, three major projects on solar power plants at Kolkata, Jaipur and Chandigarh with a combined installed capacity of 19.8 MW is likely to be completed by December 2016. He said that the AAI have also planned solar power plants with a combined capacity of 116 MW at 16 other airports subject to resolving the issue of net metering and feeding tariff with the respective governments where these airports are located. In the past, the AAI's efforts towards renewable energy and energy conservation have been appreciated at various platforms and "National Excellence Awards 2016" for roof top solar power projects in the public sector undertakings category was awarded in June this year at Vigyan Bhavan. To sum up at various airports the solar energy generated so far is 51 lakh units. This has helped in reduction in carbon foot print which is a major factor for climate change for which Prime Minister Modi has been perusing at various international fora. The AAI has reduced 4600 metric tons of carbon emission solely from the installed solar plants, Mr. Raheja informed. The minister directed Chairman, AAI, to provide similar plants at other smaller airports also by using the latest technology. (ANI)