Travancore Devaswom Board to Harness Solar Power with CIAL Collaboration

The Travancore Devaswom Board is collaborating with Cochin International Airport Limited to establish a solar energy plant in Sabarimala. The initiative, supported by CSR funds and aimed at reducing electricity costs, will benefit from CIAL's expertise, which pioneered the world's first fully solar-powered airport.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is partnering with Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) to develop a solar energy plant at Sabarimala. CIAL, which gained fame for its solar-powered airport, will provide technical guidance for the project.

TDB officials met with CIAL's Managing Director, S Suhas, to discuss the initiative. CIAL is currently preparing a detailed project report and offering its services without any consultancy fee as part of its corporate social responsibility. TDB plans to fund the solar plant using CSR funds.

With TDB spending nearly Rs 15 crore annually on electricity in the pilgrimage area, the new solar plant is expected to reduce this cost significantly. CIAL's solar endeavors began in 2013, culminating in the creation of the first fully solar-powered airport by 2015, and it now boasts 50MWp of solar capacity.

(With inputs from agencies.)