Sustainability Outlook Headlines

We'll have to make provision for solar trash

Travelling to several remote places in the last few months, I've been pleasantly surprised to see several active solar panels. Although the reports about their efficacy are mixed, solar energy is something to be optimistic about.  The national solar mission is ramping up its efforts, pushing for increased solar energy infrastructure. By 2022, India could have 20,000 megawatts installed. There will be many, many solar panels across India.

But the solar industry and government must also be futuristic in another way-about when the panels become waste. It takes about 20 years... Read more..

Resource crunch could delay second phase of national solar mission

The second phase of the national solar mission could get delayed due to lack of government finance for the upcoming projects. "Government investment is not flowing in, so execution of the next phase will get delayed," said a top official at ministry of new and renewable energy.

For the second phase of the solar mission, ministry has decided to go for 'viability gap funding (VGF)' model for the solar power projects. Out of 3,000 mw, for which the reverse bidding will happen in June this year, 2,500 mw will be funded via VGF. Under this option, bidders would bid for VGF... Read more..

Suzlon Chief Tanti Predicts ‘Flat’ Wind Turbine Market in 2013

Wind turbine installations will probably stall in 2013 as policy uncertainty, financing difficulties and delayed grid connections weigh down on projects, Suzlon Energy Ltd. (SUEL) Chairman Tulsi Tanti said.

Tanti said he expects about 45 gigawatts of installations worldwide this year, little changed from the 44.8 gigawatts of turbines Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates were built in 2012. The London-based analyst forecasts the market to drop to 39.3 gigawatts this year. Suzlon expects its share to total 4 gigawatts, he said.

“The industry will be flat,” Tanti said... Read more..

Sunita Narain: The how-to of solar energy

India’s solar power policy is now entering round two. Much needs to be reviewed and reworked, since the business of solar energy has seen massive turbulence in India as well as globally. In the first phase (2010 to 2013) of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), the target was to set up 1,000-2,000 MW of grid-based solar power in the country. By 2013, the country has indeed commissioned some 1,000 MW of solar power, but 700 MW of this target comes from a non-JNNSM state, Gujarat.

The next phase of the national solar mission kicks in from 2013. The Union ministry... Read more..

Mahindra group gearing for clean technology, not just solar power

With State Government support, there is large scope for private sale of power. The time is not far when you won’t need Government subsidy at all. — Parag Shah, Head of Mahindra Cleantech

The $15.4-billion Mahindra group has major ambitions in clean technology. The group is already into solar and electric mobility and says it is close to getting into wind.

In an interview to Business Line, Parag Shah, Head of Mahindra Cleantech and a Managing Partner of Mahindra Partners, a $700-million private equity division of the group, speaks about what the group intends to do in... Read more..

Reliance Power to raise Rs 4,400 crore for Arunachal power plant

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power is in the market to raise Rs 4,400 crore or $800 million to achieve the financial closure of its first 700 MW Tato hydro power project in Arunanchal Pradesh. The company is setting up seven hydro projects with capacity of 4,620 MW in Arunanchal Pradesh & Uttrakhand.

Reliance Power CEO Jayarama Prasad Chalsani told TOI, "We will achieve the financial closure of 700 MW Tato hydel power plant by the end of this quarter. Each MW of hydro unit costs Rs 8-9 crore and 70% of the project cost would be funded by debt."

The company is in talks... Read more..

Maruti Suzuki developing petrol – electric hybrid car for India

Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), the country's favourite passenger car maker, is considering working on India's first compact hybrid vehicle, which will be offered in both electric and petrol powered options. After ruling domestic scene for decades, the company's seems to be taking on an ambitious new challenge.

As per the company's top officials, the company's new petrol and electric hybrid car project is still in early stages and a precise timeline cannot be provided at the moment. However, the two senior officers affirmed that Maruti Suzuki is seriously mulling over the... Read more..

Airlines reject carbon trading ‘windfall profit’ claims

A report by CE Delft claims that airlines are passing nominal ‘carbon costs’ onto passengers that exceed those they incur from the ETS.

Airlines were required to pay for 15% of the carbon they emitted from any flight that landed or took off from EU airports, backdated to 2010.

That policy has since been put on hold while work continues on a global agreement to limit emissions by the aviation industry.

“The report is light on facts and very heavy on assumptions. The industry’s 1% net margin in 2012 indicates just how much airlines struggle to cover the real... Read more..

Leyland to divest non-core biz

Ashok Leyland, the second-largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, plans to divest non-core businesses in a bid to reduce debt.

The company, which has total debt of Rs5,000 crore, including a Rs1,500 crore short-term loan, intends to sell stake in businesses like software and wind energy to pay off part of the debt.

“As per our preliminary judgement, divestment in non-core pockets should generate `500 crore and we plan to do it over the next one year,” K Sridharan, CFO, told analysts in an earnings call. 

“We are working with investment bankers and consultants... Read more..

Survey reveals alarming decrease in water table in Noida, Greater Noida

The stay order on the extraction of groundwater may have come too late to resurrect Noida's water table, which experts say are is at its lowest due to a steady increase in construction work in and around Noida and Greater Noida in the past decade.

Dadri area and other parts of Greater Noida are the worst affected.

According to a survey conducted by Noida and Greater Noida Authority, the ground water in the area is steadily decreasing with wells in certain areas in Jewar almost dry. Officials explained that due to the rampant pollution and boring of ground water, the water... Read more..

Transco allows entrepreneurs to set up solar energy plants

Solar power generation in the State is set to increase with the APTransco being flexible in its policy, allowing entrepreneurs to bid for putting up plants to produce even one megawatt (MW) in the process, targeted at achieving 1,000 MW of generation through tariff-based bidding.The last date for submission of bids to APTransco is February 7.

At a press conference here on Thursday, Niroj Mohanty, Managing Director, Core CarbonX Sols, a consulting company for those in the space of generation of power through alternate sources, said the shift in policy apart, new first-time... Read more..

THDCL forays into solar energy with Rs 800-cr input

After hydro and thermal power, THDC India Ltd, a mini ratna company, is diversifying into solar energy business by investing Rs 800 crore in Uttar Pradesh.

The Rishikesh-headquartered company is holding talks with the Uttar Pradesh government to harness 100 Mw of solar power. “We are in advance stage of negotiations with the Uttar Pradesh government for harnessing solar power,” said D V Singh, director (Technical) THDCIL, a joint venture of the Centre and the UP government.

THDCIL, a core hydropower company, is diversifying into coal and solar power. It has signed an... Read more..