TDB to Establish Solar Power Plant at Sabarimala Temple

Travancore Devaswom Board to Set Up Solar Energy Plant with CIAL's Assistance

As the technical support of Cochin International Airport Limited, which declared itself as the world's first fully solar-powered airport, the Travancore Devaswom Board is finally planning a solar energy plant. It is to be reduced in electricity cost of Sabarimala pilgrimage center using renewable sources of energy.

High-level delegation led by Managing Director S Suhas met the officials of TDB to discuss the project at Sannidhanam. The high-level delegation that met the managing director of CIAL included draft work on the detailed project report being prepared for CIAL, the technical support from CIAL and seeking CSR utilization for this.

The Sabarimala pilgrimage area currently draws power from KSEB, and the board pays approximately Rs 15 crore per annum in the form of a lump sum as electricity charges. After commissioning the solar energy plant, the burden incurred by the board on account of this expense will decrease substantially, thus further supporting the sustainability goal for the region.

This is a giant step forward to develop infrastructures in this region as the company running this airport has presented themselves to extend their service by implementing a renewable source of energy system. In their efforts to help society, the airport company CIAL has chosen to provide free technical services and consultancy for this project.
The firm is one of the first airports companies to implement the production of a network of solar power. First, it established a footing by implementing a pilot project of 100kWp in the year 2013. The company continued to spread its wings and soar to new heights in the year 2015, becoming the world's first completely solar-powered airport and installing capacity of 13.1MWp. The success story of integrating the usage of solar power into operations has made Cochin International Airport a model for institutions all over the world. Currently, it has installed an aggregate capacity of 50MWp with solar. So far, this company is serious about renewable energy and sustainable development.

The TDB's solar energy initiative will not only benefit the temple infrastructure but also serve as an exemplary usage of solar energy in large-scale industries in the region. With this emphasis on environmental stewardship and cost-effective mode of operation, the solar power plant is going to make a lot of headway in its energy management, which manages the daily inflow of devotees each year to this pilgrimage area.

It will take another two months for the consultation process as everything is going pretty fast with technical assistance from CIAL, said Suhas.
Source: Based on information from a press release shared by local authorities.