Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Biogas plant for Palayam mkt soon

The Palayam market is likely to become self-reliant in terms of waste management with the commissioning of a high-capacity biogas plant capable of generating electricity in January. The work on the plant, which began in September, is nearing completion.

The rubble pack at the bottom layer has been made at a depth of 30cm. On the top of this layer, plain cement concrete (PCC) and reinforced concrete have been embedded at a depth of 15cm each. "We are now in the process of constructing the sidewall and the giant dome. The shaping of the dome requires some skilled work. We are... Read more..

Six biogas plants to process Mysore's waste

The Mysore City Corporation (MCC) is planning to build biogas plants for effective management of solid waste and generation of energy.

The six biogas plants will be built at different parts of the city to cut down the pressure on the centralized treatment plant at Sewage Farm in Vidyaranyapuram.

The civic body plans to collect dry waste only on Saturdays, while bio-degradable waste will be picked up everyday. While mega projects to harness energy from the bio-degradable waste have had little success at major cities in India, the local body is experimenting with mini biogas... Read more..

Energy-efficient Centrifugal Pumps Well Poised to Survive the Market Instability, Finds Frost & Sullivan

Like most other markets, the European centrifugal pumps market was buffeted by the global financial downturn of 2008-09 but bounced back in 2010-2011, at a cautious pace. The deferment of many projects in end-user industries such as oil and gas, building services, and chemical process as well as the austerity measures in countries like Italy, Spain, and Greece had pegged back the market. However, moderate growth in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe and higher investments in the water and wastewater, food and beverage, and power generation industries could cause a revival of sorts.

New... Read more..

Waste segregation remains on paper

Come February, Mandur will shut its doors to the city's waste. The BBMP has assured residents of Mandur and the Karnataka high court that it will set up dry waste collection centres (DWCC) across the city to reduce the load sent to the landfill.

But nothing much has happened on the ground. Of the 201 DWCCs planned by BBMP to tackle 4,000 tonnes of garbage generated every day in the city, only 45 have been set up.

According to BBMP's solid waste management strategy, the dry waste would be segregated and recylables lifted from DWCCs. But barring a few like those at... Read more..

Largest companies setting emissions reduction targets

The report from Ceres, Calvert Investments and WWF says that 23 companies have set specific goals for renewable energy use.

"As companies become more sophisticated in their renewable energy procurement methods," the report states, "more and more of them are pursuing diversified approaches to renewable energy that often include a combination of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), which are a market-based means of tracking who produces and who uses renewable energy; Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), which are contracts to buy power over a negotiated period; and on-site direct... Read more..

UN launches network for sustainable development

A network of universities, research centres and technical institutions to provide practical sustainable development solutions has been launched by the UN.

The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), launched last month (9 August), will work with governments, UN agencies, the private sector and civil society organisations to identify and demonstrate new approaches to sustainable development.

Poverty alleviation, social inclusion and environmental sustainability — three of the major sustainable development goals laid out in the Rio+20 outcome document, 'The... Read more..

IIFCL keen to fund renewable energy projects

India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd awaits final nod to launch the credit enhancement scheme next month.

It is also seeking a bigger role in lending to the country’s renewable energy sector.

Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, Executive Director, IIFCL, said the Government-promoted corporation hopes to get the nod for the scheme which will give infrastructure sector a boost and make finance easily available.

Addressing newspersons to announce the launch of IIFCL’s tax-free bond offer, Bhanwala said the infrastructure sector needs a much diversified portfolio of services and... Read more..

GHMC to generate 40 MW power from garbage

The GHMC has obtained clearances for generating 40 MW of power from the 3,100 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste it generates everyday, said Special Commissioner Navin Mittal on Thursday.

The power generation plant will be set up by the municipal corporation’s Public, Private Partner (PPP) Ramky Enviro Engineers at the Jawaharnagar dump yard in Kapra. The Special Commissioner expects the plant to become operational in about a year’s time.

He was addressing a conference on ‘Environmental Resource Conservation – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ organised by the Confederation of... Read more..

Hospital faces the music for dumping waste irresponsibly

The BBMP has slapped a showcause notice on Mallige Medical Centre, Crescent Road, asking it to explain within three days why it dumped hazardous biomedical waste near the Hebbal flyover, said chief medical officer Dr Devaki Umesh. The hospital's trade licence has been cancelled.

A police complaint has been filed against the truck owner and contractor B Venkatesh, who has been picked up for questioning. The complaint also names two other truck drivers as accused. The drivers are missing, but the trucks are in police custody.

The notices might even lead to the closure of... Read more..

CNPV Expands Success In India

CNPV Solar Power SA, a public limited liability company organized under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products, today initiated shipments to Navalakha Group, of Maharashtra, India, against their recently awarded contract to supply 7MWp High Performance CNPV Solar Modules.

CNPV was recently awarded an initial 7MWp supply contract after intense evaluation by Navalakha Group, competing at the outset with 20+ suppliers, shortlisted to three, and finally securing the agreement based upon the demonstrable... Read more..

U.S. Oil Fields Could Store Decades of Carbon Emissions

Depleted North American oil fields could hold billions more tons of carbon dioxide than previously estimated, providing a way to both curb greenhouse gas emissions and boost production of domestic fuels.

In a report released yesterday, the U.S. Department of Energy said the underground capacity of oil fields in the U.S. and Canada is 225 billion metric tons, or about 60 percent greater than estimates from two years ago. That’s the equivalent of more than a century of U.S. power-plant emissions at current levels.

“These numbers are jaw-dropping,” Kurt Waltzer,... Read more..

Bidders for clarity on solar power tariff in Tamil Nadu

Critical questions that have a bearing on the tariff to be quoted for setting up solar power projects in Tamil Nadu remained unanswered at the pre-bid meeting held here Wednesday by the state power utility, said renewable energy consultants and potential investors.

On the positive note, officials of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd. (TANGEDCO) had clear answers on the aspects like power purchase agreements (PPA) and payment mechanism, they added.

The TANGEDCO will soon call bids for setting up 1,000 MW solar power projects in the state in line with the... Read more..