Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Vehicles at seven spots to collect wet garbage

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has started a special transport facility to deliver biodegradable garbage to farms around the city for processing. The garbage will be used to make compost fertilizers.

"Biodegradable waste generated in the city can be used to create good quality fertilizer. Citizens and commercial establishments generating large quantities of garbage should send it for composting," Suresh Jagtap, head of PMC's solid waste management department, said.

He urged businesses such as hotels, public halls, marriage halls, catering institutes and... Read more..

Date : Jan 9

Source: The Times of India

Fortum connects 10MW solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh to grid

Fortum Finnsurya Energy, a subsidiary of Finnish energy company Fortum, has connected its 10 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh to the grid.

The 10MW solar power plant, which uses the thin-film technology, spreads over 70 acres in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. It is expected to be formally inaugurated in early 2015, according to a company statement.

This is the first project connected to the grid under the second phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) and the first greenfield solar project undertaken by Fortum.
... Read more..

Date : Jan 9

Source: The Times of India

Provide declaration of chemicals used in growing tea: Tea Board of India

The Tea Board of India today asked small tea growers of Assam to provide signed declaration of chemicals used for growing tea to factories for gauging whether they are in adherence with the body's prescribed Plant Protection Code.

"The code will make Indian tea a safer and healthier drink and improve its competitiveness amongst tea farms and compliance with national regulations and international sustainability standards," Dipankar Mukherjee, TBI's North East Zonal Executive Director told the media.

Plant Protection Code (PPC) is a comprehensive... Read more..

Date : Jan 9

Source: The Economic Times

Govt misled court on Delhi's pollution, say green activists

The government's submission before the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the major source of pollution in the capital was dust particles, and not vehicular emissions was dismissed on Thursday by environmental activists as ridiculous, with some even questioning the intent behind the environment ministry's stand.

The ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) had told the court that dust was responsible for 52.2% of the pollution load in the capital while vehicles contributed only 6.6%. But a paper by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, which started maintaining Delhi's... Read more..

Date : Jan 9

Source: The Times of India

Off-Grid Solar Power for Rural India: What Say the Customers?

In the past five years, off-grid solar power as a strategy of rural electrification has become a popular idea — and for a good reason. More than one billion people remain without electricity today, many of them in remote rural communities far from the national electric grid. At the same time, the rapid decrease in the price of solar panels has created new opportunities for commercial off-grid electrification.

While off-grid solar power is far from replacing grid extension as the main mode of rural electrification, it can no longer be dismissed as a trivial strategy. In... Read more..

Date : Jan 9

Source: The Energy Collective

Oil Plunge Seen Eroding Emissions Ambition: Carbon & Climate

While the falling price of crude oil is giving consumers cheaper energy, it’s threatening long-term global pollution-control efforts.

Reduced national income from energy taxes and “a low-growth economic environment” might spur countries to curtail their emissions-curbing pledges for after 2020, leading to more emissions of carbon for a longer time, said Zoe Knight, head of HSBC Holdings Inc.’s climate change center in London. These proposals will be submitted under a United Nations climate-protection process starting in March.

Public money “for funding low-... Read more..

Date : Jan 9

Source: Bloomberg

Govt plans Rs1,400 crore electric vehicles push

New Delhi: India may spend Rs.1,400 crore over the next two years on incentives and subsidies for makers and buyers of electric vehicles as part of an effort to have at least six million electric vehicles on the country’s roads by 2020.

Mint has reviewed the details of the scheme that involve spending a total of Rs.24,000 crore till 2020 towards achieving this objective. Of this, Rs.14,000 crore will come from the government. The auto industry is expected to spend the rest in research and development of electric vehicles.

The scheme, details of which may be... Read more..

Date : Jan 8

Source: Live Mint

Waste from 40,000 km of drains and subsidiaries choking river Ganga

LUCKNOW: More than 40,00km long drains and subsidiaries stretched over 5,000km carrying industrial and urban waste of dangerous level while directly falling into the 1,300km long stretch of the Ganga are choking the holy river and stalling all efforts to rejuvenate it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Namami Ganga' project, aimed at reviving the river, would remain a non-starter if the root causes of rising pollution are not addressed and innovative methods not deployed, states a report (in possession of TOI) prepared first time by the UP's irrigation department.
... Read more..

Date : Jan 8

Source: The Economic Times

Ford announces Smart Mobility Plan and 25 Global Experiments

Ford at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show is highlighting how it is using innovation not only to create advanced new vehicles but also to help change the way the world moves by solving today’s growing global transportation challenges.

The company announced its Ford Smart Mobility plan to use innovation to take it to the next level in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and big data. Ford also announced 25 mobility experiments around the world this year to test breakthrough transportation ideas to create better customer experiences, more... Read more..

Date : Jan 8

Source: India Infoline

A Nuclear Power Plant Leaked Oil Into Lake Michigan For Up To 2 Months Straight

A leak at a nuclear power plant went undetected for weeks, allowing up to 2,000 gallons of oil to flow into Lake Michigan.

Staff at the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan first began actively looking for the leak December 17 after discovering that the oil level had declined in one of the facility's turbine lube oil reservoirs. The turbine lube oil system contains about 25,000 gallons of hot, non-radioactive oil that runs across tubes and is cooled by the water of Lake Michigan. The leak allowed oil to run into one or more of the tubes and mix with the cooling water,... Read more..

Date : Jan 8

Source: The Huffington Post

How Much Fuel We Need To Leave Buried To Beat Climate Change

In 2010, United Nations member states agreed to try to hold the planet’s temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. It was a goal that acknowledged it was too late to stop the planet from warming, so instead we aimed to cap the potential damage from rising temperatures and sea levels.

More than 20 years since climate talks began, we’re already at least halfway to the 2-degree limit while emissions continue to rise. We know what staying below the 2-degree ceiling will take: leaving vast quantities of fossil fuel reserves untapped.... Read more..

Date : Jan 8

Source: Five Thirty Eight Science

How iron in Sun is key to energy transmission

Washington: A new study has recently revealed that the iron in Earth's Sun is a key to how stars transmit energy.

Working at temperatures matching the interior of the sun, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories' Z machine have been able to determine experimentally, for the first time in history, iron's role in inhibiting energy transmission from the center of the sun to near the edge of its radiative band, the section of the solar interior between the sun's core and outer convection zone.

Because that role was much greater than formerly surmised, the new,... Read more..

Date : Jan 8

Source: Zee News

Urban Development Ministry targets generation of 100 MW of solar power in 2 years

629 buildings in 18 states identified for rooftop solar projects

The Ministry of Urban Development has launched a mission to generate 100 MW of solar power in the next two years through roof mounted solar panels. Towards achieving this goal, Central Public Works Department (CPWD), the construction major under the Ministry and Solar Power Corporation of India (SPCI) of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sources today signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The MoU was signed by B.B.Bhatia, Director General of CPWD and Dr. Ashvini Kumar, Managing Director of SECI.
... Read more..

Date : Jan 8

Source: Business Standard

Recycling plastic without water now possible

Researchers from AK Inovex have developed a new technology that, unlike most conventional plastic recycling techniques, does not require the use of water and could also be used to process materials such as styrofoam, polystyrene and ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene).

The technology was developed by AK Invoex founder Marco Adame, and in a statement, officials there claim that it can process over 90 percent of plastic types without producing waste water. In addition, they claim that is can cut production cost by 50 percent without reducing the overall quality of the... Read more..

Date : Jan 8

Source: Red Orbit

Clean & green

Nualgi is a made in India nanotech breakthrough that treats water bodies and absorbs greenhouse gases, offsetting the effects of global warming
This bit of nano-technology fits perfectly into the setting of Make in India overdrive, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the clean river programme. Nualgi, a breakthrough nano-technology used for cleansing polluted waters in rivers and drains, lakes and ponds, bays and coastlines, was developed in Bengaluru by T Sampath Kumar, a national awardee for innovation in 2013.

In the process of treating water bodies, it absorbs greenhouse... Read more..

Date : Jan 8

Source: Financial Chronicle

Make in India: Government removes arbitrary environmental clearance to facilitate projects

The NDA government has done away with an arbitrary environmental clearance mandated by the UPA for building large factories that industry captains had red-flagged with the Prime Minister's Office as a major deterrent for new investment projects. In a notification issued late last month, the environment ministry has exempted the building of large industrial sheds, schools, colleges and hostels of up to 150,000 square metres from seeking a prior green nod for construction.

In early 2013, the ministry had held that the building a factory was tantamount to undertaking a... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: Economic Times

PSBs to accept solar rooftop cost as part of home loan proposals

Public sector banks (PSBs) are to accept rooftop solar installation cost as part of home loan or home improvement proposals of individual customers.

The Union Finance Ministry is reported to have advised the PSBs to encourage home loan/ home improvement loan seekers to install rooftop solar units and include the cost of such equipment in their loan proposals. The proposals may include non-solar lighting, wiring and other such fittings, among others.

Rooftop solar plants, which will produce clean electricity, have become economically viable at about Rs.7 per kWh... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: The Hindu

Investing in India requires sustainable, reliable finance

Over the next five years, India faces one of the world’s biggest challenges – ending financial “untouchability” for 100 million families, bringing clean, affordable and reliable supplies of water and energy to all of its 1.3 billion inhabitants, and investing in the enterprises that will provide livelihoods for an extra 10 million jobseekers each year.

The demand for extra capital to meet these pressing needs is immense. Take renewable energy, which unites the issues of access and sustainability. India’s new government has introduced a five-fold increase in the country’s... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: The Guardian

Green energy deal may be a highlight of Obama visit

With US President Barack Obama coming to India later this month, expectations are that New Delhi will manage to do a climate deal along lines of the one between Washington and Beijing. According to Environment Ministry officials, there is a possibility of a discussion on green technology transfer during the Obama visit. There are indications that New Delhi will reach some significant deal on climate technology.

According to experts involved in the country’s climate change initiatives, a deal must have the “right balance of the political — development, per capita income/... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: Business Line- The Hindu

PM calls for swift action to stop pollution of River Ganga

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has called for time-bound, swift action and single-minded focus to stop pollution of the River Ganga. He was chairing a high-level meeting on the ‘Namaami Gange’ project today. The Prime Minister reiterated that the ‘Namaami Gange’ vision should focus primarily on two main areas to check pollution at the source. These include: urban sewage and industrial effluents. “Ganga ko ganda na karen,” the PM emphasized.

The Prime Minister was briefed extensively on critical hotspots along the stretch of the river, which generate the most... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: Narendra Modi

High-level panel suggests single window system for green nods

Observing that corporates seek "short cuts" to get clearance for their environment projects, a high level committee has suggested setting up of a 'single window' clearance system for green projects to significantly reduce the processing time.

After studying six environment laws, the four-member panel -- headed by former Cabinet Secretary T S R Subramanian -- has recommended setting up of a full-time expert body, National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), at the Centre, and State Environmental Management Authority (SEMA) to evaluate project clearance in a time bound... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: Economic Times

India cuts floor price for solar-energy credits to boost demand

India cut the floor price for solar energy credits to revive demand as companies try to meet their year-end obligations for energy produced from renewable sources. Each solar-credit certificate will have a floor price of Rs.3,500, according to an order by the government’s Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The maximum price will be Rs.5,800. The prices of non-solar renewables certificates remain unchanged. The demand for solar energy certificates hasn’t picked up even as the fiscal year-end approaches on 31 March, said Vishal Pandya, director, REConnect Energy... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: Live Mint

With affordable solar panels, Delhiites can cut power bills

With the Haryana government making rooftop solar power systems mandatory for all buildings on a plot size of 500 square yards or more, the issue has generated a lot of interest among Delhiites as well. Many residents now want know how exactly they can get their homes powered by the alternative energy.

While experts say that the most feasible option for Delhi will be to set up rooftop solar systems for large commercial establishments such as malls and industries first, even residents can reduce their electricity bills drastically by investing in rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: Economic Times

Va Tech WABAG bags Rs 220-cr Ganga Action Plan project

Water treatment company VA Tech WABAG has bagged a Rs 220-crore project, funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency, for construction of sewage water treatment plant in Varanasi.

The project, which is part of Ganga Action Plan, involves design and construction of 140 MLD sewage treatment plant at Dinapur, Varanasi including operation and maintenance for ten years, the Chennai-based company said in a statement.

"The order is part of JICA-Funded Ganga Action Plan project and the implementation agency for this project is Ganga Pollution Prevention Unit of UP... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: Business Standard

Coal strike may cripple power sector, government looks for way out

India’s power sector could be the worst hit if the nationwide strike called by the country’s coal miners continues for the next few days.

Of the 100 power plants that run on local coal, 42 had supplies for less than seven days as of 1 January, according to the power ministry’s Central Electricity Authority. Twenty of these plants had less than four days of stock.

While the coal employee unions claimed the strike was a success on day one, the government hopes to convince the employees to call it off on Wednesday.

A meeting is scheduled to be held on... Read more..

Date : Jan 7

Source: Hindustan Times