Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Handling the energy crisis

India will soon witness a new government in control. Among the multitude of burning issues, the new government will have to face the challenge of a growing energy crisis. It will require extraordinary effort, innovative vision and viable solutions to tackle the increasing demand for energy, while maintaining an eco-friendly approach. Energy commodities comprise gas, oil, coal, renewable energy and electricity.

Currently, high levels of consumption with respect to energy-related commodities are paralysing operations in the country... Read more..

Asit K Biswas & Peter Brabeck-Letmathe: The Third World's drinking problem

During this year's gathering in Davos, the World Economic Forum released its ninth annual Global Risks report, which relies on a survey of more than 700 business leaders, government officials and non-profit actors to identify the world's most serious risks in the next decade. Perhaps most remarkably, four of the 10 threats listed this year are water-related.

These risks include water crises stemming from droughts and floods, the deterioration of water quality, and poor water management; failure to mitigate and adapt to climate... Read more..

India conference raises profile of small family farming

More than 400 small farmers from across Asia converged in New Delhi today to strengthen the concept of family farming and share their experiences about adaptive, innovative and sustainable farming methods.

The Pan Asia Farm Fest 2014, organized by Caritas India, marks the UN-declared International Year of Family Farming, which aims to raise the profile of family run farms and small farming operations.

Farmers from India, Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar,... Read more..

Bharat Light & Power Selects OSIsoft PI System to Support Renewable Energy

Bharat Light & Power (BLP), a leading renewable energy producer in India, today announced the full deployment of its state-of-the-art remote monitoring platform, powered by the OSIsoft PI System™. The platform, which is currently implemented across all existing wind farms throughout the country with a combined capacity of 200 megawatts, is already improving the operating productivity of BLP’s wind power projects, and over the next 10 years, will support the development of new, reliable, clean energy capacity across the country.

... Read more..

JinkoSolar Signs Distribution Agreement with PROINSO India

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. ("JinkoSolar" or the "Company"), a global leader in the solar PV industry, today announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with PROINSO India.

According to the terms of the agreement, PROINSO will begin distributing JinkoSolar solar PV modules through its extensive sales network in India. PROINSO will make use of its Mumbai office, experienced professionals who staff it, and 125 qualified installers who form part of its network in India.

Kunal Chandra, Head... Read more..

India Signs Power Contracts for 700 Megawatts of Solar Capacity

India signed contracts to purchase solar power from companies building 700 megawatts of capacity awarded in a national auction.

The government is waiting to sign purchase agreements for the remaining 50 megawatts from the auction in February, Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said today in an interview in New Delhi. The agreements, which lock in rates for the power generated for 25 years, bind developers to complete the plants within 13 months.

Two... Read more..

India's JNNSM CSP program, An epic fail?

This month, March 2014, is the deadline for the extended period to start commercial operation of all the Concentrated Solar Power plants awarded under the National Solar Mission (JNNSM) program in 2010. So far, only one plant has come online, the Godawari Green Energy project and another one is being commissioned, the Rajasthan Sun Technique plant.

Only two out of the seven projects awarded will meet this extended deadline, the Godawari plant, a 50 MW parabolic trough facility, was commissioned last June and has begun commercial... Read more..

Suez Environnement wins $84 million of Indian water deals

 Suez Environnement Co., Europe’s second-biggest water company, won contracts valued at €61 million ($84 million) to build drinking and wastewater treatment plants and manage distribution in three Indian cities.

Suez will help improve water distribution for 12.5 million people in Mumbai, India’s most-populous city, the utility said on Wednesday in an e-mail. A five-year, €31 million deal requires the company to ensure 24-hour supply and cut water leaks.

The French utility’s India arm Degremont... Read more..

Non-implementation of solar subsidy policy a dampener

 More consumers are keen on upgrading to solar panels for power supply at home, but non-implementation of the subsidy policy announced by the government is a dampener, say traders here.

The government on October 2013 issued an order stating that a capital subsidy of Rs.20,000 would be available for each 1 kW solar rooftop system. The order is yet to be implemented.

“Business is very dull. A large number of people call us to install solar panels in their homes. When they get to know that the subsidy scheme has not been implemented yet, they drop the plan,” says R.S. Mani, CEO... Read more..

Portal to help Railways Save Energy

 Indian Railways has launched a portal to facilitate energy saving up to 15 per cent by the year 2020 through improved energy efficiency measures and to help the Railways in evolving future strategies for further Indian Railways has launched a portal to facilitate energy saving up to 15 per cent by the year 2020 through improved energy efficiency measures and to help the Railways in evolving future strategies for further intensifying energy conservation efforts.

The web-based electrical energy management system, RAILSAVER, developed by the Centre of Railway Informatics System (CRIS... Read more..

Green buildings registered base crosses 2 billion sq ft mark

The green building movement in India has gathered pace and has achieved a major landmark of crossing two billion sq ft of registered buildings spanning over 2,400 projects. India is next only to the US.

This is a significant development for the green building movement in the country and has caught the imagination of commercial buildings, private and public institutions, Government offices, heritage buildings and homes as the cost to go green has come down over the years, S Raghupathy, Executive Director of CII-Godrej Green Business... Read more..

Solar Panels Set to Power Local Bodies

The local bodies in the state are all set to get a solar boost with the support of Anert. Already, 30 LSGs have been listed for installation of solar panels and others will follow suit soon.

As part of implementing the solar policy, some of the local bodies had decided to go for generation of solar power. They invited tenders and installed photovoltaic power plants, which lacked technical specification.

Later, the Power Department issued an order to all the local bodies to ensure that they comply... Read more..