Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Unfriendly policy decisions hamper power generation efforts

While the entire state is reeling under severe power crisis, there is much scope to setup wind and solar energy plants. However, lack of investor friendly measures and policy decisions continue to hamper efforts to bridge the gap between demand and supply.

Wind energy producers are no longer interested in setting up new mills in the state due to the huge backlog in paying off arrears and the low procurement price of wind energy. TNEB owes Rs3500cr to producers. The dues have accumulated over the past 16 months, said K Kasturirangan, chairman, Indian Wind Power Association.... Read more..

Date : Feb 6

Source: Times of India

DVC to seek World Bank help for mega solar power foray

As part of its corporate makeover agenda, the Rs 7,000-crore Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is considering a handholding relationship with the World Bank. DVC is currently a statutory organisation jointly held by West Bengal, Jharkhand and the Union Government by virtue of the DVC Act, 1948.

Apart from its chain of barrages and dams, serving the dual purpose of flood control and canal irrigation in Damodar Valley; DVC runs nearly 5,000 MW power generation capacities (mostly thermal). Another 2000 MW capacity is under implementation. It also has a 1000 MW joint venture with... Read more..

Date : Feb 5

Source: Hindu Business Line

Adani Power’s former CEO to provide fund power to start-ups

Ravi Sharma, former chief executive officer and executive director of Adani Power, is moving into the role of a mentor for a number of start-ups firms.

Spread across industry verticals, these range from solar power companies to private equity firms, and oil and telecom players, among others.

Sharma had in June 2012 resigned from Adani Power, India’s second-largest private power producer, to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams.

An alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee, Sharma had been the CEO with various firms for the past 15 years.

ENERGY... Read more..

Date : Feb 5

Source: Hindu Business Line

Daimler India sets up first solar power facility at Oragadam plant

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd has set up its first solar power facility within its 400-acre plant at Oragadam, investing about Rs4 crore to comply with a new state regulation.

Daimler, which makes the Bharat Benz brand of trucks, has installed a capacity of 300 kilo watts at its parts logistics warehouse, the company said on Monday.

The power produced will be adjusted against the solar purchase obligations, which the Tamil Nadu government made mandatory in October.

Under the Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Policy 2012, industries and commercial... Read more..

Date : Feb 5

Source: Mint

Tata Seeks Investors for Clean-Energy Expansion: Corporate India

Tata Power Co. (TPWR), India’s second- largest generator, is seeking investors to help its renewables unit more than double capacity in five years and acquire projects at home and overseas.

The unit of India’s largest business group, which plans to spend about 17.5 billion rupees ($328 million) annually, may also consider selling shares in Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd., Rahul Shah, chief of business development at the generator, said in a telephone interview from Mumbai. The company plans to build 2,000 megawatts of wind, solar, hydro and geothermal plants from a total of... Read more..

Date : Feb 5

Source: Bloomberg

Wind Assessment Provider Meteodyn Opens Office In India

Meteodyn, a provider of wind resource assessment and engineering services, says it has opened a new location in India.

The new office - located in Pune, near Mumbai - will provide software training, sales services and technical support, especially for the Indian wind energy market. The new office is managed by Sachin Bhandare.

"With the large number of wind farm projects currently in development throughout India, we thought the opening of a trade office in India was a good strategy," the company said in a statement. “Meteodyn already has Indian customers, and we know... Read more..

Date : Feb 5

Source: North American Windpower

REC to partner AP agency for energy conservation

The Central Institute for Rural Electrification of Rural Electrification Corporation of India will partner with State Energy Conservation Mission (SECM), AP, in energy conservation measures. The modalities of partnership were being worked out, A Chandra Sekhara Reddy, CEO of SECM, said in a release on Sunday.

“SECM is keen to associate with REC to further explore the possibilities of energy efficiency and conservation activities which will benefit the power utilities as well as consumers,” he said.

Date : Feb 4

Source: Hindu Business Line

Don’t impose anti-dumping duty, say solar power producers

The Solar Independent Power Producers Association (SIPPA) has petitioned the Government not to go ahead with imposition of anti-dumping duty on Solar PV modules in the larger interest of the country and instead put in place a long-term policy to ensure best outcomes for the solar industry.

In a representation to the Department of Energy, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and other related departments, SIPPA said India has achieved the lowest costs of solar energy creating a ripple effect among the financers and investors at the international level. Now the time... Read more..

Date : Feb 4

Source: The Hindu

Su-Kam to acquire solar panel firm by March-end

Su-Kam Power Systems is in the final stages of negotiations to acquire a solar panel maker and an announcement to this effect is likely by the end of next month.

The planned acquisition will help the inverter major to own manufacturing capacity of panels to become a major player in solar energy applications.

"We are looking to acquire a panel manufacturing company. We are in the final stages of negotiations with one domestic firm, which has production capabilities," Su-Kam Power Systems Managing Director and CEO Kunwer Sachdev told PTI.

The company has launched... Read more..

Date : Feb 4

Source: Economic Times

Green light for two hydro-electric projects in Arunachal Pradesh

The environment ministry has finally given the green signal to two key hydel projects in Arunachal Pradesh, making a climb down from what many believed was its blind opposition to power projects in forested areas.

Official sources said Tawang- I and Tawag-II - with 600 MW capacity each - have been cleared.

Power minister Jyotiraditya Scindia met environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan and she agreed to give the go-ahead to these projects, the sources said.

A number of hydro-electric power projects are still awaiting clearance

The 'green' ministry has... Read more..

Date : Feb 4

Source: Daily Mail

REC Supplies Panels For Two Solar Farms In India

REC has supplied its award-winning Peak Energy modules for two 5MW solar farms in India's Gujarat region.

The company delivered 21,520 REC Peak Energy solar panels for one installation and 20,480 modules for another project. Each solar farm will generate around eight million kWh of clean, green electricity annually and avoid approximately 4,500 tons of carbon emissions every year.

The Indian government has set its sights on 10 GW of PV capacity by 2017. REC is expecting strong growth in the region of 1.6 to 1.8 GW for 2013; about 30 percent in market segments based on... Read more..

Date : Feb 4

Source: Energy Matters

Vietnamese electric carmaker seeks land for project in Bengal

Officials of Vietnamese electric carmaker Oto Dien met West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Saturday.

The auto-maker has reportedly sought around 300 acres of land at the Raghunathpur Industrial Park in Purulia district of the State for setting up a car manufacturing unit at an expected investment of Rs 10,000 crore.

Oto Dien has proposed to manufacture an electric car costing around Rs 1.5 lakh.

Officials at Writers’ Buildings (State Secretariat) said that the State Government has sought a written proposal from the automaker in this regard.

Date : Feb 4

Source: Hindu Business Line

FinMin to clear funds to boost sales of electric vehicles

The finance ministry is expected to release funds next month for the extension of a subsidy scheme of the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) to incentivise sales of electric cars and two-wheelers.

According to a proposal pending with the finance ministry, a corpus of Rs 55-60 crore is expected to be provided by the government to retrospectively compensate manufacturers for sales of electric four-wheelers and two-wheelers made in the last two financial years.

Industry sources said that while Rs 35 crore in subsidy is yet to be paid back to companies, as was proposed... Read more..

Date : Feb 3

Source: Business Standard

Tamil Nadu to become power-surplus state by year end: Minister

Tamil Nadu would become electricity surplus by the end of this year, state Industries Minister P Thangamani said today.

"Industrialists should not indulge in strikes or hartals for their demands, including the electricity crisis, but approach the Chief Minister for immediate remedy," he said.

Inaugurating the Conference of Manufacturing Excellence through MSME, he said as a result of some concrete actions taken by the state government, there is a decrease in power cut duration.

Listing out pro-industry measures of the government, he said Tamil Nadu Industrial... Read more..

Date : Feb 3

Source: Economic Times

'N-power not a miracle cure for energy problems'

Former energy secretary E A S Sarma said on Saturday that India should aim at an energy security law to mandate a shift in favour of renewable resources to enhance the country's energy security and provide a guarantee that every household will have access to a minimum threshold of per capita useful energy.

Sarma, who was in the city to deliver the first Girish Sant memorial annual lecture, spoke on the questions and misconceptions that dominate the discourse on economic development and the consequent distortions that have crept into energy planning, which is a part of economic... Read more..

Date : Feb 3

Source: Times of India

Maharahstra ready to buy water from Karnataka

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that the state has approached the Karnataka government to release water for areas that are water starved in Sangli and Solpaur districts located along the border of the two states. The government was ready to purchase water or even exchange water for water with Karnataka, added Pawar.

The deputy chief minister was speaking to reporters after he conducted a review meeting to discuss the annual district plan (2012-13) of five districts in Pune division.

Pawar said the state was hopeful of getting maximum funds... Read more..

Date : Feb 3

Source: Times of India

Rajasthan’s wind policy worries industry

The wind industry is in ICU, says Ramesh Kymal, one of the doyens of the industry and Chairman of the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers’ Association. He says he will not countenance any move to bring in a ‘competitive bidding’ regime.

Date : Feb 3

Source: The Hindu

New green building rating to be introduced

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation will introduce a new green building rating system wherein a building constructed on plot area below 2,500 sq.m. can obtain the rating.

The standing committee has approved a resolution to start the system. The resolution stated that the civic body had started the system of green rating for integrated habitat assessment (GRIHA) in the municipal limits to promote construction of green buildings on plots which have an area of more than 2,500 sqm.

The buildings get one to five stars as per the points earned. The buildings get... Read more..

Date : Feb 2

Source: Times of India

Biomass sector pleads for priority sector lending, waiver in MAT

Biomass power generators with a total generation capacity of 1,250 MW across the country has appealed to the Centre to treat them as an extension of agricultural activity and provide priority sector lending. Further, at least 2% interest subvention be provided to the sector, which has invested till date Rs 7,000 crore for current generation capacity, considering the investment done in difficult backward rural areas with high risk perception.

Indian Biomass Power Association (IBPA), a representative body of these generators, in its pre-budget memorandum submitted to the... Read more..

Date : Feb 2

Source: Business Standard

13.71 lakh renewable energy certificates offered for sale in January

As many as 13.71 lakh renewable energy certificates (RECs) were offered for sale at the India Energy Exchange during the trading session of January which was held on January 30. Of these only 1.91 lakh were sold the remaining stacked up with the renewable power producers. The ones sold were at the minimum price of Rs 1,500 per certificate.

A REC is a tradable certificate that represents 1000 units of power generated from renewable sources and sold to the grid. State utilities are to buy these certificates from a power exchange like the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) or the... Read more..

Date : Feb 2

Source: Economic Times

India in the right direction, but market-driven energy pricing the way to go: BP

On a day when Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily talked about self- reliance in energy by cutting oil and gas imports to almost zero, British oil giant BP said India can achieve this only by allowing more competition and market-linked pricing of energy products.

BP made the biggest foreign direct investment in India by buying 30 per cent stake in 21 oil and gas blocks operated by Reliance Industries (RIL) for $7.2 billion.

Mr Moily said he has appointed a committee under Vijay Kelkar (former finance secretary and renowned economist) for suggesting lowering dependence on oil... Read more..

Date : Feb 2

Source: NDTV

Central Institute for Rural Electrification to sign MoU WITH Andhra Pradesh

Impressed with the activities of Energy Efficiency & Energy Conservation (EE&EC), which will benefit the State to a larger extent, the Central Institute for Rural Electrification of Rural Electrification Corporation of India, a Govt. of India public utility has agreed to enter into partnership programme with State Energy Conservation Mission (SECM), Govt. of A.P. for expediting EE&EC measures.

Date : Feb 2

Source: India Education Diary

Solar workshop in five villages

The sun is lighting up five villages in Gurgaon's Farrukhnagar block, thanks to the All India Women's Education Funds Association (AIWEFA) and Lady Irwin College along with the Union Ministry of New and Renewable energy who are conducting a solar fair in those villages.

The aim of the fair is to educate villagers about the facility available to them to purchase solar-powered instruments like inverters, bulbs, tubelights and solar cookers, among others. The NGO is also educating the villagers where to avail themselves of the discounts provided by the state government.

Date : Feb 2

Source: Times of India

DLF finds a buyer, sells Gujarat wind biz for Rs 282 cr

Country’s largest realty firm DLF today said it will sell its wind turbine business in Gujarat to Bharat Light & Power for Rs 282.30 crore, thus starting the process to divest its last major non-core asset.

After signing the agreement for sale of this 150 MW wind turbine, the firm is now in the regulatory approval processes to sell its remaining wind power plants in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to Bharat Light & Power for a total amount of over Rs 800 crore.

According to the understanding, the deal includes related assets and liabilities along with... Read more..

Date : Feb 1

Source: Firstpost

World CEO Summit Urges Businesses to Become Thought-Leaders on Sustainability

The need for mainstreaming of business practices dominated the proceedings of the 10th annual World CEO Summit held in the capital earlier in the week. Featuring over 100 business leaders and leading policy makers, the summit centered on the theme ‘Resource Revolution: A global imperative and how business can shape it’.

The 10th World CEO summit was held in the city earlier this week. The summit theme ‘Resource Revolution: A global imperative and how business can shape it’ aptly reflected the increasing focus on and expectation from the corporate world to mainstream business... Read more..

Date : Feb 1

Source: Sustainability Outlook