Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Ministry wants competitive bidding for renewable energy procurement

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy wants to make procurement of electricity from renewable sources also through competitive bidding process, just as in the case of conventional power. The Ministry has come up with “guidelines and standard bidding documents for tariff-based competitive bidding process for grid connected renewable energy power projects” and has recommended them to the Ministry of Power for notification.

“Unless explicitly specified in these guidelines, the provisions of these guidelines shall be binding on the procurer,” it says, defining ‘procurer’ to mean... Read more..

German experts to help illuminate UP villages

In a decision taken by the Uttar Pradesh government, unelectrified villages of the state will be soon illuminated with solar power. Each household will be provided power connections for two light-emitting diode (LED) lights and a mobile charging unit which will run on solar energy. A mini grid, to be set up in the village with technical assistance of German experts, will provide power through transmission lines.

The project will be implemented by the support of the German government and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. In the state, Uttar... Read more..

Farmers earn carbon revenue

Carbon revenue cheques were distributed to 52 farmers in Gitam University here on Wednesday evening in a programme jointly arranged by VEDA Climate Change Solutions Ltd (VCCL), JK Paper Mills Ltd (JKPL) and Gitam Centre for Integrated Rural Development (CIRD) under Improving Rural Livelihood Project.

Gitam president M.V.V.S Murthi gave away the cheques to farmers. According to a press release, it is the first project in Asia to release the revenue to the farmers as part of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in the... Read more..

GOI officials attend training in smart grid technology in USA

Over 15 Indian government officials attended a training and study tour organised by the U.S. Government through the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID) on the use of Smart Grid technology in the power sector to reduce power loss, manage peak load and integrate renewable energy to meet the growing demand for power.

Smart Grid refers to the use of state-of-the-art information and communication technology to improve the efficiency, reliability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of the production and distribution of electricity and 17 senior officials of... Read more..

Leela Palace gets award for energy efficiency

Leela Palace, Bangalore, has got the National Energy Conservation Award 2012.

The award, given away annually by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, a statutory body under the Ministry of Power, is given to hotels for efficient energy management and to industries from across a broad range of units, including aluminium, automobile, chemicals, consumer goods, distillery, drugs and pharmaceuticals, and textile plants.

Function

President Pranab Mukherjee gave away the award at a ceremony in New Delhi earlier this week.

Andrew Hendrian, general manager, The Leela... Read more..

Renewable energy integration can solve TN power crisis: Study

Tamil Nadu would be able to overcome the power shortage situation only with a change in "mindset" of policymakers and industry leaders regarding integration of renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy given its abundant availability in the state, says a study.

The project -- "Action plan for comprehensive Renewable Energy development in Tamil Nadu" was undertaken by World Institute of Sustainable Energy (WISE), CII and non-profit organisation Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation.

"The project has revealed that renewable sources of energy are abundant, can be... Read more..

Environment ministry on overdrive to streamline norms

After the government’s nod to a Cabinet committee on investment for fast-tracking projects, the environment ministry is seeing heightened activity.

The ministry, which is trying to shrug off its anti-industry image, has come up with three important memoranda in a month, including one on easier norms for clearances to projects in special economic zones ( SEZs) and quick approvals to expand existing mining projects.

A ministry official, however, ruled out diluting of norms. The memoranda merely clarified and streamlined existing regulations, he said.

Chandra Bhushan,... Read more..

Shivalik Express: World’s second solar train

The world's second solar train, Shivalik Express was officially launched on Friday. Just like the Himalayan Queen, this train is also equipped with solar panels.

Shivalik Express had been running between Kalka and Shimla for the past some years. The Northern Railways thought of converting it into a solar-powered train recently.

A lot of effort has gone into its making. R K Gupta, senior divisional electrical engineer at Ambala division of Northern Railways who claims it to his brainchild, said that he has been working on it for the past two months.

All lights in the... Read more..

SMC to use Chinese tech to treat sewage water

Though the Diamond City is ranked as the fourth fastest growing cities in the world, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) believes in constantly improving services by adopting state-of-the-art technology from across the world.

To upgrade the existing drainage and sewage treatment facilities, the civic body is eyeing Shanghai and other fast growing cities in China. The urban planners recently sent a two-member team of engineers from the drainage department to China to inspect the state-of-the art Cyclic Activated Sludge Technology (C-Tech), an advanced sequential batch reactor process... Read more..

Pvt bodies to collect dry waste

After looking for a technology to process both dry and wet waste, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) now plans to bring in a separate system to collect dry waste.

The proposal is in sharp contrast to the BMC's stand on the failure of the segregation movement. In its
November 29 edition, Hindustan Times had reported that the civic body was planning to look at technologies which would process both dry and wet waste, as most people refused to segregate garbage.

However, as part of the new plan, the BMC is contemplating tie-ups with organisations that collect... Read more..

India to give 3,000 solar lamps to Bangladesh coastlines

India will provide some 2,800 solar lamps to Bangladesh’s southwestern coastlines which was ravaged by the devastating cyclone Sidr in 2007.

An Indian High Commission statement said on December 26 a project (of installing solar lamps) is in advanced stage of implementation. The first installation has already been made at Morelganj, Bagerhat District in December 2012, it said.

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during his Bangladesh visit in September 2011 announced that India would provide 2800 solar lamps to the beneficiaries of the Sidr cyclone shelters, built earlier... Read more..

MOEF report claims no submergence at 154 meters

Shree Maheshwar Hydel Power Corporation (SMHPCL) here on Tuesday has accused the Narmada Bachao Andolan of misrepresenting the report of the MOEF's committee of experts on the filling of the water level in the Maheshwar dam reservoir.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) team which made a tour of the project affected areas, in its findings has categorically asserted that there was no submergence of any village with water level in the Maheshwar dam reservoir reaching up to 154 meters during the recent monsoon.

SMHPCL is not responsible for the flooding which took... Read more..