Sustainability Outlook Headlines

SGB's jatropha vision: Jet fuel grown from seeds

When word got out several years ago about the promise of a small subtropical tree called jatropha, it became a biofuel sensation. Advocates claimed the fruit tree was hearty, drought-resistant and could be grown on marginal land. Its oil seeds offered a promising biofuel that wouldn't compete with food crops.

Air Japan, Continental Airlines and Air New Zealand ran test flights of planes using jatropha-based biofuel, prompting more than 100 companies to plunk down millions on jatropha plantations in developing countries. Energy giant BP (BP) sunk $160 million into the farms, and one... Read more..

Vikram Solar to install solar power facility at Cochin International Airport

Vikram Solar, a Kolkata-based leading solar module manufacturing company, announced today that it would be installing a 100 Kwp solar power facility at the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery. 

Vikram Solar will design, install and commission this 100 Kw capacity Solar PV Power System at the airport. The solar power facility will consist of mounted solar panels which will generate DC electric power. The electric power generated by the solar panels will not be fed directly into the utility grid. 

The inverters will cover the direct current output from the solar array... Read more..

BlackRock-Backed Mytrah Trips on Policy Vacuum: Corporate India

Wind-turbine installations in India will plummet this year as lenders shun projects amid a policy vacuum in the third-biggest market for the machines, according to BlackRock Inc.-backed Mytrah Energy Ltd. (MYT)

The country may install as little as 1,500 megawatts of capacity by the year ending March 31, about half what it did the previous year, said Ravi Kailas, chief executive officer of the Hyderabad-based wind farm developer, whose biggest investors include BlackRock and Henderson Global Investors Ltd.

The best wind projects in the country can now produce power at the same... Read more..

MSSRF survey to identify bio-villages

The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation will soon survey villages in Puducherry to find out how many of them would qualify to be declared bio-village, a paradigm considered as “Eco-technology in action,” where sustainability of the village is ensured through proper interventions that are environment friendly and provide opportunity for livelihood security.

On the sidelines of a “Stakeholders consultation” meeting at the Bio-centre of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Pillaiyarkuppam, near here on Saturday, Chairman of the Foundation M.S. Swaminathan told a select group of... Read more..

Developing world aid may save top economies $3.6 billion

Major industrialized countries could save at least $3.6 billion (¥297 billion) over a five-year period under the Kyoto Protocol by launching greenhouse gas reduction projects in developing nations, a recently compiled U.N. report argues.

Private businesses in developed nations could save $2.3 billion and the public sector $1.3 billion from 2008-2012 under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism, the report said.

Japanese companies could reduce emissions costs by $150 million (¥12.4 billion) during the commitment period, according to the report, which was... Read more..

Industrialised countries failed to provide $30 billion to tackle climate change in developing nations

Industrialised countries have failed to provide the promised $30 billion to tackle climate change in developing nations particularly the poor and least developed countries, hindering a global agreement on climate, according to an independent non-profit research institute. 

In 2009 at Copenhagen, industrialised countries pledged to provide $30 billion in fast start finance over a three-year period ending this year. 

An assessment by International Institute for Environment and Development, shows that the industrialised countries have been laggard and not transparent about... Read more..

India's peak demand and power needs rising continuously

The demand for electricity in India when its consumption is at the maximum - the peak demand - as well as the country's energy requirement have been rising continuously. 

There was a 6.3 percent jump in the peak demand in the country in 2011-12 over the previous year. The increase in energy requirement in 2011-12 over the previous fiscal year was even higher at 8.8 percent. 

For October 2012, for instance, there was provisionally a deficit of 9.1 percent between requirement and availability of power equivalent to 7,654 MU (million units), the new Power Minister... Read more..

MNRE sanctions funds to 41 cities under Development of Solar Cities program

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing a Scheme on Development of Solar Cities which provides support for 60 cities to develop as Solar Cities in the country.

The Ministry has given sanctions for 41 cities for developing as Solar Cities. Gandhinagar, Nagpur, Chandigarh and Mysore are being developed as Model Solar Cities. The Ministry has approved the Master Plants for the 28 Cities and the project installations have already started in few cities.

In pursuance of the program, a one day National Meet on Solar Cities was inaugurated by Mr Gireesh B Pradhan,... Read more..

Solar rickshaws to power green city dreams

Rickshaw pullers in the city may soon join the green brigade. With a view to promote clean energy transport, the state government is exploring the feasibility of promoting solar-fuelled rickshaws in Bhubaneswar, which can drive up to a speed of 35 km per hour.

Christened as 'Soleckshaw' and designed and promoted by Council of Scientific & Industrial Research ( CSIR), the non-polluting tricycle was introduced in several metros, including Delhi recently.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has invited CSIR-recognized dealer HBL Power System Ltd and its... Read more..

Central Pollution Control Board pushes for ban on diesel cars in Delhi

Days after Chief Justice Altamas Kabir stressed on the need to deal with the problem of smog in the Capital, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Friday requested the forest bench to take up for consideration a pending report by the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA).

The 2007 report recommended a ban on the use of diesel in personal transport vehicles in the Capital.

A bench presided over by Justice Aftab Alam, commonly referred to as the forest bench, told CPCB counsel Vijay Panjwani that his request would be considered during the next hearing on... Read more..

Suzlon Energy Wins 40 Megawatts of Wind-Turbine Orders in India

Suzlon Energy Ltd. (SUEL), India’s biggest wind-turbine maker, said it won two local orders for 40 megawatts of machines.

Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. (GSFC) will buy 14 units of 2.1-megawatt turbines for a wind farm in Kutch in the western state of Gujarat, Suzlon said today in an e-mailed statement. Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BHE) has signed a contract for five units of the same S95 machines for a project in Davangere district in southern Karnataka state, Suzlon said.

Both projects will be completed by the end of the financial year on March 31, according to... Read more..

Cabinet likely to discuss India's negotiating strategy at UN climate change talks

The Cabinet is expected to discuss and finalise at its meeting on Thursday India's negotiating strategy at the UN sponsored climate change talks at Doha, which begins from Monday. 

In the face of the European Union's domestic difficulties in taking on legally binding emission targets, and the economic downturn in industrialized countries severely constraining financial support for developing countries, India appears to be open to considering allowing for a political agreement on the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol. 

A political agreement would mean that European Union... Read more..