Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa is going to be the second fully solar-powered airport in the world,
The airport that is expected to open in early 2020 – after India’s Cochin International Airport which earned the distinction in 2015 – will operate on energy from the sun. “It will be a fully solar-powered airport including from the air traffic control room to baggage claim and runway lights to ground control rooms and passenger terminals,” according to Asian Development Bank (ADB), the multilateral development partner that has funded the international airport.
The airport premises contain plenty of vacant space that will be used to set up solar panels, according to the ADB that has agreed ‘in principle’ to fund the ‘green airport’ project separately.
The airport – that covers an area of 787 bighas – aims to create a power neutral airport which means that it can produce as much energy as it consumes.
The project aims to produce 10 MW of solar power, according to the plan. “The surplus energy will be added into the national grid.”
Estimated to cost nearly $10 million, or $1 million per MW the solar panel installation will take around six months to complete. Since the airport will not have to pay any electric utility bill, its only expenses will be repair costs. Instead the airport can earn revenue by selling extra energy, according to the multilateral lender.
Though, the airport was initially estimated to be ready by December 2017, fuel and building material shortages due to the months-long Tarai banda in 2015 delayed the upgradation work. The project is expected to come into operation by early 2020, the Visit Nepal Year, when the country is expecting to host 2 million tourists.
In March, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) awarded a $4.83 million contract to install communications, navigation and surveillance and air traffic management systems at the airport to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand.
Located in southern plains of Nepal, the Gautam Buddha International Airport is the gateway to the international pilgrimage destination of Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
The government has awarded civil works contract worth Rs 6.22 billion to China’s Northwest Civil Aviation Airport Construction Group in November 2013.
The airport that is expected to open in early 2020 – after India’s Cochin International Airport which earned the distinction in 2015 – will operate on energy from the sun. “It will be a fully solar-powered airport including from the air traffic control room to baggage claim and runway lights to ground control rooms and passenger terminals,” according to Asian Development Bank (ADB), the multilateral development partner that has funded the international airport.
The airport premises contain plenty of vacant space that will be used to set up solar panels, according to the ADB that has agreed ‘in principle’ to fund the ‘green airport’ project separately.
The airport – that covers an area of 787 bighas – aims to create a power neutral airport which means that it can produce as much energy as it consumes.
The project aims to produce 10 MW of solar power, according to the plan. “The surplus energy will be added into the national grid.”
Estimated to cost nearly $10 million, or $1 million per MW the solar panel installation will take around six months to complete. Since the airport will not have to pay any electric utility bill, its only expenses will be repair costs. Instead the airport can earn revenue by selling extra energy, according to the multilateral lender.
Though, the airport was initially estimated to be ready by December 2017, fuel and building material shortages due to the months-long Tarai banda in 2015 delayed the upgradation work. The project is expected to come into operation by early 2020, the Visit Nepal Year, when the country is expecting to host 2 million tourists.
In March, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) awarded a $4.83 million contract to install communications, navigation and surveillance and air traffic management systems at the airport to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand.
Located in southern plains of Nepal, the Gautam Buddha International Airport is the gateway to the international pilgrimage destination of Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
The government has awarded civil works contract worth Rs 6.22 billion to China’s Northwest Civil Aviation Airport Construction Group in November 2013.
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