Kochi Airport To Get UN’s ‘Champion Of Earth’ Prize For Its Solar Power Initiative

The United Nations has selected Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) for the 2018 Champion of Earth prize, the highest environmental award instituted by the UN. CIAL is being bestowed with the honour for its pioneering efforts to totally run the Kochi airport on solar power.

The airport, first in the world to meet its power needs through solar energy, produces power from the solar panels put up in the premises and feeds the state electricity grid during the day. At night, it draws back the power from the grid for its own use.

Malayalam daily Manorama reported that the airport will receive the award on 26 September this year in New York at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

A UN team led by Erik Solheim had visited the airport to learn about the airport’s solar power initiatives and held discussions with various authorities including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The UN plans to endorse Kochi Airport as the first one in the world to run its operations on solar power.