Kathmandu, June 14 -- Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa could become the second fully solar-powered airport in the world when it opens in early 2020, after India's Cochin International Airport which earned the distinction in 2015.

A fully solar-powered airport means that the entire airport-from the air traffic control room, baggage claim and runway lights to ground control rooms and passenger terminals-operates on energy from the sun.

"The airport premises contain plenty of vacant space that can be used to set up solar panels. The Asian Development Bank has agreed 'in principle' to fund the 'green airport' project," said Naresh Pradhan, project officer-transport at the Asian Development Bank. The multilateral lending age...