Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Power crisis good for solar power business

With power crisis expected to get worse in the state, demand for solar power plants has gone up over the last one month across the state.

Businesses are finding it tough to meet the new surge in demand as many receive almost 100 enquiries every day for installing solar power panels. Companies that were converting 10-12 enquiries a month back are supplying to over 40-50 customers lately. Demand is expected to go up further in the coming months, leading to longer waiting periods. Firms that were installing solar panels in 15 days are also taking over a month to service orders... Read more..

PR Fonroche sets up 5 MW solar PV project in Bikaner, Rajasthan

This project is the first of two projects totalling 20MWp to be commissioned by PR Fonroche and executed in collaboration with Mahindra EPC.

PR Fonroche, a joint-venture between PR Clean Energy (India) and Fonroche Energie S.a.s (France), has collaborated with Mahindra EPC, a part of the USD 15.9 billion Mahindra Group, to commission a solar photo voltaic based power plant (5 MWp) at Gajner Village in Bikaner, Rajasthan on 23 December 2012, under the National Solar Mission’s Phase I Batch II. This project is the first of two projects totalling 20MWp to be commissioned by PR... Read more..

Rural waste management begins in Gurgaon

Villages in Gurgaon district will be cleaner from now. The administration has begun the task of waste management in rural areas on the pattern of urban Gurgaon under " Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan" (NBA).

The household garbage collected would be taken and segregated to separate the recyclable and biodegradable from the rest. Special sheds have been erected for this purpose in villages and a pilot project has been launched in Mubarikpur village.

Under this project, reharis (hand-driven carts) have been deployed for collecting garbage from each household in the village. The... Read more..

Waste water treatment a success

After solid waste management, Mysore has shifted its focus on treating waste water.

Rural Literacy and Health Programme (RLHP), an NGO working for the welfare of slum dwellers in Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajanagar, has been involved in treating waste water at Roopa Nagar's slum. The NGO is now aiming to spread the technology - Decentralized waste water treatment system (DEWATS), to other parts of Mysore.

RLHP's director Saraswathi told STOI that DEWATS, approved and recommended by Central Pollution Control Board, is a viable alternative solution to sanitation problem... Read more..

Are Top Indian Companies Ready for SEBI’s Business Responsibility Reporting?

A recent study conducted by Carbon Masters on preparedness levels of top BSE-100 companies, indicated that 64% of the top affected companies are not prepared to submit SEBI’s prerequisite Business Responsibility (BR) report. This comes to wake, with companies requiring to submit this document along with their annual report, on or after 31st December 2012.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) first announced this requirement in November 2011, and later with a circular in August1 this year stating that non-financial reports should include environmental, social and... Read more..

Solar industry hit by purchase obligation norms, funding issues

Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO), funding for solar projects and active participation by States are key issues that need to be addressed in Phase II of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).

Industry players feel these are the main hiccups that may dampen the Centre’s ambitious solar plan, which is likely to be unveiled shortly.

“There should be strict penalties for not meeting RPO. Every State should fulfil the obligation. Otherwise, there are no buyers for electricity produced from solar projects,” said Managing Director of a PV solar modules manufacturer,... Read more..

Solar energy products shine at expo

For those contemplating solar power for homes, commercial buildings and industrial establishments, all roads should lead to Buildrock 2012 exhibition presented by Builders` Association of India at the grounds of Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan School near Karur Bypass Road.

The exhibition featuring various other aspects of home right from electrical, flooring, pipes, roofing, water heating and storage, plywood doors and interior decoration promises to serve as a one stop spot for keen planning and budgeting prior to commencing construction.

In the backdrop of power shortage... Read more..

How to support solar power projects

The positives of the existing policies to encourage solar power should not be jettisoned while moving to the next phase.The positives of the existing policies to encourage solar power should not be jettisoned while moving to the next phase.

India is on the cusp of a solar energy revolution. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) kick-started the development of large, mega-watt scale, solar plants.

In combination with the Gujarat solar power programme, JNNSM has resulted in an installed capacity of 1047 MW as on November 31, 2012. What was crucial for the success... Read more..

Rs 1.10 lakh central aid for 50 pico hydro projects

To promote hydroelectric power projects of 5 kW and below in Kerala, the Union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) has announced a financial assistance to the tune of Rs 110,000 for setting up 'Pico hydroelectric power projects' in the state.

Hydroelectric power generation up to 5 kW is called pico hydro. This type of power generation can be useful in remote regions that are smaller in area, hence require less electricity. Pico-hydro set-ups do not require dams. Pipes are used to divert the flow down a gradient leading to a turbine and bring the water back to the... Read more..

Infosys gets energy conservation award

Infosys has been awarded the National Energy Conservation Award 2012 for its energy conservation efforts at the company’s campus in Jaipur and Pune.

Infosys BPO building in Jaipur received the first place in the BPO Building category, followed by the two Infosys buildings in Pune which won the second place in the office building category, according to a statement released by Infosys. These buildings incorporate energy saving features including insulated walls, energy-efficient lighting design with sensor-based fixtures, optimized Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems,... Read more..

Western Railway’s 1st power-saving train to run today

Western Railway (WR) will run its first pure Alternating Current (AC) train on Christmas day.

Expected to save electricity, the train, which was manufactured by Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, has one major difference from the earlier trains. Unlike suburban trains in which the electric motors are in the second, fifth, eighth and eleventh coaches, this new AC train will have these motors in the first, fifth, eighth and twelfth coaches.

From Tuesday, WR authorities will be trying to find out how commuters — especially women — take to this change.

This change in the... Read more..

MCL plans Rs 4,600 cr integrated solar plant

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd (CIL), has unveiled a plan to invest around Rs 4,600 crore in a vertically integrated solar value chain.

“There is a plan for vertically integrated solar value chain right from silicon manufacturing from quartz to solar modules and a power plant. MCL has already obtained a preliminary report from a consultant for the project,” said Kulamani Biswal, Director Finance, MCL.

Biswal, who was speaking on the concluding day of the 3rd Odisha Symposium, organised by Invest Bhubaneswar, said the plan is in a nascent... Read more..