Bhopal: Raja Bhoj Airport of Bhopal has achieved the ‘level-2’ (Reduction) Airport Carbon Accreditation certificate for its action to map and reduce its CO2 emissions as a part of the global airport industry’s response to the challenge of climate change.
Airport Carbon Accreditation is the institutional, global carbon management certification program for airports. It independently assesses and recognizes the efforts of airports to manage and reduce their carbon emissions through six levels of certification: ‘mapping’, ‘reduction’, ‘optimization’, ‘neutrality’, ‘transformation’, and ‘transition’.
Through the certification, Airport Carbon Accreditation acknowledges that airports are at different stages in their journey toward comprehensive carbon management. It is a program for airports of all sizes, extending beyond hubs and regional airports with scheduled passenger traffic, to include general aviation and freight-focused airports.
Director of the airport, Ramji Awasthi said that it is a big achievement for the airport. “Credit goes to everyone associated with the airport. We will keep doing our best to earn other levels also in the future,” said Awasthi. Airport Carbon Accreditation is also the only global, airport-specific carbon standard that relies on internationally recognized methodologies. Bhopal airport has become one of the airports in the country which has achieved the feat of running completely on 100% renewable energy.
airport has 1 MW ground-mounted solar power plant since 2017 and an additional carport solar power plant was commissioned in February 2023 to generate renewable energy. “Bhopal airport has taken various steps to save electrical energy like uses of LED lights, VFD operated AHUs, eco-friendly refrigerators for air conditioning, energy-efficient motors, cooling towers, and others,” said Awasthi.
