The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued a tender for a 500 kW of solar power project at the Civil Aviation Training College (CATC), located at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. The project will follow the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC); the AAI has specified.

The last date for the submission of the bids is August 27, 2019, with the bid opening date scheduled for August 28, 2019.

The estimated cost of the project is ₹21,991,525 (~$309,699) excluding the Goods and Service Tax (GST), and the time given for the completion of the work is six months.

Interested bidders need to pay ₹439,831 (~$6,194) as the earnest money deposit.

Some of the prerequisites from the prospective bidders include that the contractor should have completed at least three projects, each of ₹1,038,000 (~$14,617) or two projects, each of ₹12,975,000 (~$182,722) and ₹2,07,60,000 (~$292,355) in a single contract of a similar nature of work during the last seven years.

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

For the technical specifications, the interested bidder should make sure that the grid-tied solar ground or rooftop-mounted solar power project consists of SPV array, module mounting structure, power conditioning unit, inverter and maximum power point tracker (MPPT). The PV array should be mounted on a suitable structure. Grid-tied SPV system will be without a battery and should be designed with necessary features to supplement the grid power during daytime.

Components and parts used in the SPV power projects, including the PV modules, metallic structures, cables, junction box, and switches, should conform to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) or International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) or other international specifications. The PV modules used should be made in India.

Previously, Mercom analyzed how solar – not black coal – is beginning to power classrooms, dormitories, and canteens of multitudes of educational institutions across the country. Read more about it here.

The AAI, which comes under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is a statutory authority responsible for the creation, management, and up-gradation of civil aviation infrastructure in India.

This tender shows AAI’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral. AAI is seeking to use sustainable solar power to fuel operations and cut down on energy expenditure.

Recently, Vijayawada International Airport joined the growing list of solar-powered airports in the country with the official launch of its 1 MW project. The project was set up by the Airports Authority of India at an estimated cost of ₹55.4 million (~$78,118).

In May this year, the AAI issued a notice inviting contractors for the operation and annual comprehensive maintenance of a 300 kW solar PV power project in Prayagraj. The estimated value of the tender was pegged at ₹2.44 million ($35,184) without GST, and an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹48,881 ($704) was required from interested parties.

Image Credit: Suntech Power

Anjana is a news editor at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, she held roles of senior editor, district correspondent, and sub-editor for The Times of India, Biospectrum and The Sunday Guardian. Before that, she worked at the Deccan Herald and the Asianlite as chief sub-editor and news editor. She has also contributed to The Quint, Hindustan Times, The New Indian Express, Reader’s Digest (UK edition), IndiaSe (Singapore-based magazine) and Asiaville. Anjana holds a Master’s degree in Geography from North Bengal University, and a diploma in mass communication and journalism from Guru Ghasidas University, Bhopal.