The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is looking for an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor to develop a 4 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) project at the Biju Patnaik International (BPI) Airport in Bhubaneshwar.

The bid-submission deadline is January 31, 2019. The estimated project cost is ₹258,781,444 (~$3,647,360) and the project completion timeframe is four months from the time the contract is awarded.

The scope of work includes the site survey, shadow analysis, complete design for optimal use of space, engineering, manufacture, supply, storage, insurance, civil work, , testing, and commissioning of the grid-connected solar PV project.

The AAI is seeking to use solar as a low-cost and renewable source of power to fuel operations at various airports across India. Recently, AAI tendered an 8 MW grid-connected solar PV project at Hubballi airport in Karnataka. In November 2018, AAI tendered a 1 MW grid-connected solar PV project at Begumpet airport in Hyderabad.

In April 2018, AAI issued another EPC tender for a 1.2 MW grid-connected solar PV project at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (LBSI) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Moreover, in January 2018, CIAL Infrastructures Ltd. concluded the bidding process for the development of 9.9 MW of grid-connected solar projects at Cochin airport. That same month, a 700 kW rooftop solar PV project was nearing completion at the Ahmedabad airport, and the power generated by that project was expected to be used for captive consumption at the airport.

In December 2017, a 15 MW grid-connected solar PV project was inaugurated at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata, West Bengal.ed

Image credit: Enerpac