Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Stay Smart- a peek into the proposed smart cities

Smart phones have changed the way we live. From a tool for just voice and text communication, they have become the centre of one's life. Now, you can access internet to connect with others, watch movies, pay bills or carry out bank transactions from anywhere. A similar sea-change can be expected from the 100 smart cities that the government plans to build in the country. These state-of-the art cities will use technology to make life of its citizens more organised and less stressful.

Even as the government is working on the... Read more..

Date : Oct 29

Source: Business Today

Melting glaciers, changing climate

At dawn, Mohd Soheb begins an arduous trek to the high camp at Chhota Shigri glacier in the Pir Panjal range in Spiti valley, Himachal Pradesh. From the PWD guesthouse at Chota Dara, he walks down to the Chandra river where he travels across in a small iron crate using an ingenious system of pulleys to the base camp at about 3,850 metres set up by the Jawaharlal Nehru University’s (JNU) School of Environmental Sciences.

From the camp, the snout of the glacier located at about 4,050 metres, looks deceptively close but actually requires a two hour climb over moraine. Covered by... Read more..

Date : Oct 29

Source: The Hindu

Soon, Rs 1,800 crore awareness campaign under Clean India Mission

The Centre will soon launch an intensive information, education and communication (IEC) campaign at an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore to generate awareness about the need for cleanliness and to bring about much-needed behavioural changes for achieving the goal of 'Swachh Bharat', Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said today.

"Cleanliness is not a one-day affair; on the contrary, it should be a life-long mission. Behavioural changes are critical for the success of the Swachh Bharat Mission," Naidu said.

Swachh Bharat Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra... Read more..

Date : Oct 29

Source: Economic Times

Solar supplier to finance distributed generation across India

Global solar energy supplier, Proinso is to provide PPA-model financing for distributed generation solar projects 100kW and above across India. Proniso claimed the new finance scheme would provide “quality equipment and optimised systems without the capital expenditure hurdle".

Proinso will supply Jinko Modules, SMA and ZeverSolar Inverters, Mecasolar trackers, rooftop as well as ground mounting structures as part of the new financing programme.

Proinso said the programme is flexible with other finance models and it is training installers to keep up with... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: PV Tech

Solar energy prices to come down with tech breakthrough

As India gears up for solar projects under the recently-overhauled National Solar Mission programme, a breakthrough in polysilicon manufacturing promises to make solar energy at ₹6 or less per kilowatt-hour (kWhr) possible.

Across the world, solar technologists have been grappling with the issue of converting more of sun’s energy falling on solar panels into electricity. While chasing ‘efficiency’ has been the primary means of achieving cost-reduction, a US-headquartered company, which is active in India, has achieved a technological breakthrough in the manufacture of... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: Business Line- The Hindu

ReGen Powertech launches made-for-India wind turbine

Chennai-based ReGen Powertech has come up with a made-for-India wind turbine with a capacity of 2.8 MW. The machine’s blades will sweep a circle of a diameter of 109 metres. The wind turbine has been developed by ReGen’s wholly-owned R&D subsidiary in Germany, Wind Direct GmbH, and the company intends to make the machine available for sale by the end of next year.

A prototype of the turbine is currently undergoing testing at ReGen’s test site near Coimbatore.

A unique feature of this (permanent magnet, gearless) turbine is that it comprises two independent... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: Business Line- The Hindu

Jal Board kicks off Yamuna clean-up with sewer lines project

As part of its efforts to reduce pollution in the Yamuna, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) implemented the Interceptor Sewer Project, launching its first package in Dwarka on Monday.

The project will lay 59 kilometre-long interceptor sewer lines to ensure that only treated sewage is discharged in major drains. The first package includes increasing the capacity of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in Dwarka from 20 million gallons daily to 40 million gallons daily.

Speaking at the launch in Dwarka — an area affected by water shortage — Union Minister for Urban Development... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: Indian Express

Donations to Swach Bharat Kosh, Clean Ganga now part of CSR

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has included donations to the Swach Bharat Kosh and the Clean Ganga Fund — set up by the Central government — as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR) spends by India Inc. This notification was issued last Friday, October 24.

As donations made to eligible funds qualify for certain tax breaks, India Inc is eagerly looking forward to a notification from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

In February, MCA had amended Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013 and a final set of CSR activities were outlined.... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: Times of India

NTPC goes for rooftop solar plants

Taking another step towards renewable sources of energy, NTPC is focusing on installing Rooftop Solar PV systems at available roof areas in power stations. The move is aimed at meet ing the energy requirements of its various offices, starting with a 110kWp one that was inaugurated by Arup Roy Choudhury, CMD, NTPC at NTPC Engineering Office complex recently.

This is the first model solar rooftop project by NETRA, the R&D wing of NTPC, and its features include remote & string monitoring, seasonal tilt, etc, for continuous monitoring and performance studies. As much as 1... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: India Today

Climate change: EU eyes new green energy targets

An EU summit has begun in Brussels aiming for agreement on carbon emission cuts that could make Europe a global leader again in climate policy.
The European Commission has proposed a 40% cut in CO2 emissions by 2030.
The EU also aims to boost the use of renewable energy to 27% in the total energy mix.
Europe's reliance on Russian gas has become a hot topic because of the Ukraine crisis, besides the climate impact of CO2.

The leaders will also seek to boost measures to stop the spread of Ebola. The UK is expected to urge its EU partners to send more medics... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: BBC

$500 Million ADB Loans to Improve Urban Services in India's Rajasthan State

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved two loans worth half a billion dollars to help the government in India's largest state of Rajasthan to better manage essential urban services and finance water and sewerage upgrades.

For the first time in India, we have coupled a policy loan to support urban sector reforms with a project loan for infrastructure development to ensure that improvements to urban services like water and wastewater can be maintained over the long term, said Fei Yue, Director of the South Asia Urban and Water Division of ADB. Reliable urban services... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: Business Standard

Pollution panel asks state bodies to check effluents

A Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) directive has asked MCG and HUDA to check discharge effluents at sewage treatment plants (STPs) in all Haryana districts. The state bodies have also been directed to set up a real-time effluent monitoring system to ensure that no untreated sewage water is released into the Yamuna via the Najafgarh drain.

"Neither the urban local bodies, nor other concerned organizations - HUDA and Haryana State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) Ltd - are acting with the alacrity and seriousness needed for sewage... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: Times of India

Govt to launch 'zero liquid discharge' pilot project

If the Centre gets states on board, it will not allow any of the 140 drains between Gangotri and Gangasagar to open into the river Ganga to discharge municipal and industrial waste water. A small step in this direction was taken on Monday when the government decided to launch a pilot project to usher in a 'zero liquid discharge' regime.

The 'zero liquid discharge' (ZLD) is a concept where the entire industrial and municipal waste water can be reused after recycling without discharging a drop into any river.

At present, after being treated in different sewage... Read more..

Date : Oct 28

Source: Times of India

YEIDA to luanch affordable, green homes

This Diwali , the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority ( Yeida ) is SET to Launch Affordable Residential Flats for nearly 3,000 middle and Low INCOME green groups. Located in Sector 22A of Yeida , BE handed over to the units expected by ARE two thousand and seventeen, Officials said.

"These Environment-Friendly, MULTI-Storey Flats Available to the Public through draw of lots will BE. BE will Forms Available from October 27, 2014. These Flats Health will promote, conserve natural RESOURCES, easy Access to Provide Services and Save hundreds Residents of Rupees A... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: Times of India

SmartCity Kochi gets ready for March launch

Dubai’s Tecom Investments is planning to launch the first phase of its SmartCity project in Kerala by March, an official said yesterday.

The SmartCity Kochi, Dubai’s second offshore project under this brand after SmartCity Malta, has also received the final clearance from India’s environment ministry for the entire project spread across 246 acres.

“We received the clearance for SCK01, the first building for information technology firms in July last year and later we applied for the rest of the project. We have now received that too,” said Gigo Joseph, its chief... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: Gulf Times

Solargise to use $200m to set up 3,000 mw projects

UK-based solar power firm Solargise plans to invest $200 million or Rs 1,200 crore in seting up about 3,000 mw of both self-generated and EPC projects in the next two to three years through its Indian subsidiary Solargise Grapp Energies.

The company has already bagged few projects under the state governments’ solar mission plans across Rajasthan and Bihar and is in the process of tying up few projects in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

H D Khunteta, president of institutional finance at Solargise Grapp Energies Group, told Financial Chronicle, “we are... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: My Digital FC

E-waste Trading Platform Woos 'Ethical' Businesses

When it comes to disposing of electronic waste such as computers, televisions and other gadgets responsibly, there are two big certification programs that can help guide a company’s selection of disposal partner.
Their oversight is critical for controlling where discarded technology winds up and ensuring that certain toxic components don’t find their way into landfills, where they can foul up groundwater supplies and otherwise endanger human health—especially in rural locations in China and India.

The organization behind one of those initiatives, Basel Action Network (... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: Forbes

Andhra Pradesh switches to LED efficiency

Andhra Pradesh will be one of the first states to take up energy conservation under the DELP (Demand Side Efficient Lighting Programme) on a massive scale to meet future energy requirements.

The pilot project, which will later be adopted for the entire state, has begun with Guntur district where 20 lakh LED bulbs will replace traditional incandescent bulbs in every household. By implementing this, Guntur alone will save an estimated 75 to 80 MU per annum.

The project is being implemented by the Energy Efficiency Service Limited (EESL) and is funded by PFC,... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: Deccan Chronicle

Ministry of new and renewable energy seeks loan from KfW to promote solar project

The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) wants the government to back a 1-billion loan (aboutRs 7,750 crore) sought from German bank KfW to promote rooftop solar systems across the country.

KfW is keen on lending 1-billion for the solar rooftop project to India but hedging cost of the loan will make it expensive for borrowers and mar the purpose of accessing funds from abroad, an MNRE official said.

"Our problem is how to make these funds available at a low cost. Hedging against rupee fluctuation makes the loan expensive for domestic borrowers. If the... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: Economic Times

Micro grids poised to take off

The Centre’s plans to supply electricity 24/7 to all parts of India in five years has opened up vast opportunities for power and automation companies such as ABB, GE, Schneider Electric and few others. These companies have expertise in setting up micro grids that have emerged as a practical solution to provide electricity to off-grid and inaccessible areas.

The opportunity is so huge that ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer at a recently held global analysts’ conference mentioned about India, the only country he named in his two-hour presentation, as an attractive market where the... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: The Hindu

Greenko raises $125 mn investment from EIG

Renewable energy company Greenko, through its subsidiary Greenko Mauritius, has secured commitment for $125-million investment from EIG Global Energy Partners, Washington D.C.

The company, which trades on AIM market of London Stock Exchange, plans to deploy the proceeds from this recent investment to refinance the Standard Chartered facility of $70 million, due in January 2015 and support the development of renewable power projects in Greenko's development portfolio of 2.2 GW dominated by hydro and wind assets.

Anil Chalamalasetty, CEO and MD of Greenko, in a... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: Business Line- The Hindu

Indian Company Launches Solar-Powered Self-Cleaning Toilets

An Indian company has announced a potentially revolutionary leap in sanitation and hygiene with the launch of a solar-powered toilet to coincide with the launch of the Clean India Mission.

India's Eram Scientific has launched a solar-powered self-cleaning electronic toilet

Eram Scientific has announced the launch of the innovative “electronic toilet” armed with “state-of-the-art technology to address public sanitation challenges.” This product has been specifically modified for use in schools.

Made of mild steel, the enclosure of the toilet is... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: Clean Technica

Solar power is contagious: Installing panels often means your neighbors will too

Solar power still generates just 0.4 percent of America's electricity. But it's expanding at a shocking rate, with a new rooftop system installed every four minutes. There are lots of reasons for that, from lower costs to federal subsidies to innovative financing schemes.

But here's another unexpected factor: Solar power appears to be contagious. Yes, contagious. If you install solar photovoltaic panels on your roof, that greatly increases the odds that your neighbors will, in turn, install their own panels.

That's the upshot of a fascinating new paper in The... Read more..

Date : Oct 27

Source: Vox

India fuel reform puts diesel under market control

India freed diesel prices from government control Sunday while raising natural gas tariffs in the biggest-yet reform by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, as it aims to boost the country's economy and overhaul its energy sector.

The decision on diesel targets one of India's costliest subsidies for one of the world's dirtiest fuels.

Those subsidies — meant to help poor farmers using diesel-powered water pumps — inadvertently led the country to consume more than four times as much diesel as petrol, at large cost to the national budget. Almost half the... Read more..

Date : Oct 22

Source: Bradenton Herald

Goa ‘very vulnerable to climate-change impacts’: Pachauri

While Goa is "very vulnerable" to a large number of climate-change impacts, it must lead the way in sustainable development and with vision and innovation emerge as a model not only for India but also for the rest of the world, said Nobel peace prize laureate Rajendra Kumar Pachauri on Saturday.

Pachauri was delivering the keynote address at the first Matanhy Saldanha memorial lecture on the subject 'Environment: A gift to mankind to be sustainably used and conserved for future generations'.

Pachauri said Goa, being a coastal state, is vulnerable to the impact... Read more..

Date : Oct 22

Source: Times of India