Sustainability Outlook Headlines

EUR 150 MILLION LOAN TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE IN INDIA

The following information was released by the European Investment Bank (EIB):

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Exim Bank signed a EUR 150 million loan for financing investments that will contribute to the mitigation of climate change.

The EIB loan will make long term financing available for investments that contribute to climate change mitigation through projects in renewable energy and energy efficiency in India implemented by public and private sector companies. The operation will contribute to the EU-India Strategic Partnership and cooperation with India which... Read more..

Suzlon Convertibles Slump as Rescue Threatened: India Credit

The convertible bonds of Suzlon Energy Ltd. (SUEL), the Indian wind-turbine maker that default22222ed last year, are falling from a five-month high as a cash squeeze threatens its efforts to reorganize debt.

The company’s 5 percent equity-linked dollar securities due April 2016 slid 8.3 percent from a Feb. 6 peak to 50 cents on the dollar, prices from Jefferies Group Inc. show. Offshore Asian fixed-income notes that can be exchanged for shares lost 0.3 percent in the past month, according to a Nomura Holdings Inc. index. Suzlon’s bonds rallied 17 percent in January as its Indian... Read more..

Over 50,000 jobs created by renewable energy sector in last three years

The new and renewable energy sector is estimated to have created over 50,000 direct jobs in the last three years. The job creation has taken place in off-grid and other applications of the sector, according to information made available by the ministry of new and renewable energy.

It is estimated that employment for nearly 40 people is generated during erection and commissioning of a 1-2 mega watt photovoltaic project. This number increases by approximately 15 for every additional 1 mega watt capacity. In the case of solar thermal projects, it is estimated that up to 500... Read more..

'Gadgets must certify how efficiently they use water'

The CEO of Delhi Jal Board, Debashree Mukherjee, on Monday said she would be pushing for a star-rating of appliances based on their water consumption, in the way appliances are rated for their energy efficiency.

"At present, I have no idea how much water is consumed by an appliance, say a washing machine. If it is rated on its efficiency, I will be able to pick up a product which uses less water and help in conserving the resource. Appliances are star-rated for their use of power, and water should also be incorporated in it," said Mukherjee.

Speaking at the Water... Read more..

Mahindra Reva to launch e2o electric vehicle in India on Mar 18

Mahindra Reva, a part of 15.9 billion dollars Mahindra Group, today announced that it would launch its next generation electric vehicle-- the e2o-- in the domestic market on March 18.

The Mahindra e2o (powered by Reva) was unveiled at the last Auto Expo here during January 2012.

"We are delighted to announce the launch of the e2o, which will mark a significant milestone in Mahindra's automotive journey. Electric vehicles today epitomise clean and green driving and Mahindra wants to take the lead in developing this segment and its surrounding eco system," Mahindra... Read more..

Odisha comes up with another 25 MW solar tender

The Odisha government has come up with yet another tender for the purchase of solar power. Just like the existing practice, the state government wants a developer to put up a 25 MW plant and sell power to the state’s electricity distribution company at rates arrived at through a competitive bidding process.

The winning tariffs arrived at under the previous two bids were Rs 7 and Rs 7.28 per kWhr. However, in the first case, only 5 MW was finally allotted to the winning bidder.

The ‘request for proposal’ says that it expects further reduction in tariff.

Bidders... Read more..

Kakkad water to flush out salinity threat to National Thermal Power Corporation

The National Thermal Power Corporation's warning that it will be compelled to shut down its Kayamkulam plant bore fruit as the major irrigation department started pumping water from Kakkad dam to the Achankovil River.

The NTPC had on Monday said it would down shutters in three days due to the non-availability of clean water. The high salinity level in Achankovil waters had threated the functioning of the plant.

The salinity level started decreasing as Kakkad water flowed into Achankovil on Tuesday. NTPC officials told TOI that if the situation continued the plant could... Read more..

Coimbatore to go all out to tap solar energy

The rooftops of all establishments in Coimbatore Corporation limits will soon turn energy generation stations with the civic body planning to install solar panels. The civic body in a recent resolution said that based on a Government Order from the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, the civic body proposed to install solar panels on the terrace of all its establishments.

The Order says: “The Urban Local Bodies have buildings constructed and maintained by them. The energisation of these buildings using solar energy has to be expedited. Solar rooftops should... Read more..

Jakson Power plans 100 mw solar power capacity in next 3 years

Jakson Power Solutions is aiming commissioning 100 MW of solar power generation capacity in next 3 years. The Delhi NCR headquartered company that announced commissioning of its first 20 mw project on 100 acres in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan has also acquired 250 acres of additional land to scale up capacity.

Newly commissioned 20 mw solar power plant has been set up with an investment of Rs 200 crore under government's Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. Jakson Power Solutions has signed 25 years power purchase agreement (PPA) with NTPCBSE -0.37 % Vidyut Vyapar Nigam... Read more..

BS Enviro acquires 51% in Skywater India

BS Enviro Solutions Limited, a newly-incorporated subsidiary of Hyderabad-based telecom infrastructure company BS Limited, has acquired a 51 per cent stake in air-to-water generators’ manufacturer Skywater India Private Limited.

Skywater, a part of New York-based private investment fund Harbinger Capital Partners, has its research and development (R&D) facility and a manufacturing plant with an installed capacity to churn out 200 units of air-to-water generators a month in Hyderabad. The company’s technology was invented and patented in the US and is being marketed... Read more..

Kiran Energy commissions 55MW solar plant in Rajasthan, India

Indian solar power producer Kiran Energy has commissioned a 55MW plant in the Rawra village of the state of Rajasthan.

The projects was implemented under the Phase I of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission and enhances the company's portfolio to 80MW.

L&T and Mahindra EPC were employed as the engineering, procurement and construction services for the Rawra plant, reported The Hindu BusinessLine.

The plant is estimated to generate over 90,000MWh of clean electricity a year on an average, sufficient to cater to the energy requirements of more than 275... Read more..

India’s first viability-gap funded transmission project inaugurated

India’s first viability-gap funded, 99-km power transmission line project, in Haryana, was inaugurated on Monday. The 400 KV double circuit Jharli-Kabulpur-Rohtak line was built by a joint venture of Kalpataru Power Transmission and Techno Electric and Engineering Company.

The Rs 444-crore public-private-partnership project with the Haryana Government has received Rs 92 crore of viability gap funding from Government of India. The joint venture partners brought in Rs 76 crore of equity (51 per cent with Kalpataru) and raised debt of Rs 276 crore.

“The project will... Read more..