Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Is climate change responsible for the hail storms and unseasonal rainfall in Maharashtra?

Is climate change responsible for the hail storms and unseasonal rainfall in parts of Maharashtra? Or is it a one-off phenomenon? 

The South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) on Tuesday described it as "unprecedented." 

Hailstorms by the end of February 2014, initially thought of as a one-off phenomenon, continued to batter places like Solapur for nearly two weeks now. Rabi crops like wheat, harbhara, cotton, jowar, summer onion are lost, horticultural crops like papaya, sweet lime... Read more..

Clean energy investment of $ 36 trillion to attract private sector

US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz today said an envisaged spending of $ 36 trillion in clean energy worldwide in the next four decades "should be very attractive for the private sector." 

"...a clean energy group in the US has estimated investment in energy infrastructure over the next four decades globally to reach $ 36 trillion. That is a very large number and it should be very attractive for the private sector," he said at a CII conference on financing clean energy. 

According to Moniz, the... Read more..

CII's GreenCo Rating eyes 100 companies

Hyundai Motor to launch first battery-powered electric car in 2016

Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS), South Korea's champion of fuel-cell electric vehicles (EV), will answer calls for manufacturers to make more zero-emission cars by launching its first rechargeable battery-powered vehicle in 2016.

Hyundai, like Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp (7201.T), has long concentrated on fuel-cell vehicles powered by electricity generated using hydrogen, touting their longer driving range and shorter refill times.

But like Toyota, Hyundai is expanding its offering by also... Read more..

India to ask US to ease restrictions on importing gas

Keen to import gas from the U.S. to meet its rising energy needs, India will on Tuesday ask Washington to ease restrictions on sales to countries with which it does not have a free trade agreement (FTA).

Washington has till now allowed conditional export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from five of its projects to nations with which the U.S. does not have a free trade agreement, so-called ‘non-FTA’ countries. India does not have a FTA with the U.S. till now. The issue of LNG exports to non-FTA nations would figure at the Indo-U.S.... Read more..

India solar: MNRE to support 17500 solar water pumps, 68000 small PV systems

India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has approved INR 299 crore (USD 48 million) to subsidize the installation of 17,500 solar water pumps in the nation to support irrigation for agriculture.

The total project cost is estimated at INR 997 crore (USD 160 million), and is limited to states that are willing to contribute at least 15% of project costs.

MNRE names eight participating states including Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. MNRE will review the program in six months.... Read more..

Bosch Ltd bets big on energy service business through investments in green buildings

 Bosch Limited, the Indian subsidiary of the world's biggest supplier of car parts, plans to earn more revenue from its energy solutions business as the company prepares to make it among the three leading players in the country by 2020 and help the company expand its business in the non-auto business. 

The new business vertical of the company, formed last month in India, and in 2011 in Germany, aims to offer energy efficiency solutions to commercial buildings in the northern capital region and Bangalore in the south. "We have set a vision, by 2020, we want to be among the top three... Read more..

Trina Solar guides over 1GW of PV module shipment increase in 2014

 Trina Solar reached PV module shipments in 2013 of approximately 2.58GW, over 1GW above shipment levels achieved in 2012. Due to expected strong demand in 2014, the company guided shipments to increase a further 1GW to between 3.6GW to 3.8GW.

Trina Solar reported full-year net revenue of US$1.77 billion, an increase of 36.9% from US$1.30 billion in 2012. Gross profit was US$218.2 million, an increase of 281.2% from US$57.2 million in the previous year.

Overall gross margin was 12.3% in 2013, compared to 4.4% in 2012, however the company reported a full-year operating loss of... Read more..

'Emission inventory’ is 1st step to predicting city’s air pollution

 Next week, Mumbai will finally get an emission inventory - a database that will help predict the extent of air pollution for up to 72 hours in advance and also help detect its source. The inventory is the very first step towards an 'air quality monitoring system' that is being set up at a cost of Rs 15 crore and will be ready by July. At present, the country has AQMS only in two cities - Delhi and Pune - unlike in the West, where the many cities boast of systems that monitor air quality and devise intervention plans to curb health hazards. 

"The emission inventory is the most... Read more..

India to have highest growth in energy demand: report

 The growth in energy demand in India would be the highest among all countries by 2030-35, beating even China, says the 2014 energy outlook report issued by British oil giant BP.

“We project that by 2035, India will become increasingly import-dependent, despite increases in non-fossil fuel production,” it said.

According to the report, India’s energy production would rise by 112 per cent, while consumption would grow by 132 per cent. Oil imports would rise by 169 per cent and account for over 60 per cent of the net increase in imports, followed by increasing imports of gas (+... Read more..

Rays Power Infra launches solar park in MP

 In a bid to revolutionize the solar power sector, Rays Power Infra, the largest private solar park owner in the country, has announced the launch of solar park in the state of Madhya Pradesh.The announcement was made at the recently held Solar Development Summit in Bhopal in which Mr. Ketan Mehta from Rays Power Infra was a key speaker.

The development of solar energy, which is a renewable and sustainable source of energy, will have long-term impact on the state's economy. Madhya Pradesh is blessed with plenty of sunshine and vast barren lands, and the establishment of a solar park... Read more..

GIC develops project for climate change awareness among MSME

 Gujarat Institute of Competitiveness (GIC) has developed a project to create awareness among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on climate change. 

Major initiatives under the project will be a climate change innovation contest to be held at universities, a help desk at industry associations, a communication centre and a research centre to prepare an approach paper. 

GIC will train consultants and service providers to deliver climate change related services like impact assessment, cost benefit analysis, carbon credit aggregation in MSME consortia. GIC will also... Read more..