Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Union ministry of environment and forests advisory to curb mobile tower radiation

No proposal to allow construction of new mobile towers should be permitted within a radius of 1km of existing towers, the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has stated in an advisory issued recently.

This is just one of the few actions listed by the MoEF to be carried out by state governments, forests departments, department of telecommunications, ministry of communications and other agencies.

The MoEF held consultations with stakeholders recently to discuss a report submitted by an expert committee it had earlier appointed to gauge the possible impacts of... Read more..

Parliamentary panel for mandatory CSR

A parliamentary panel has asked the government to make corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending mandatory for companies above a certain threshold. It also wanted the government to clearly define in the Companies Bill the term ‘private placement’ of instruments to raise money.

In its report on the Companies Bill, 2011, tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday, Parliament’s standing committee on finance also suggested to the government that appointment of auditors be approved by shareholders at the annual general meeting . The Bill had proposed to allow appointment of auditors for the... Read more..

Despite infrastructure woes, TN to add 1,000 mw wind power

Despite evacuation infrastructure woes in the state, Tamil Nadu is expected to see yet another record year in terms of wind energy capacity addition of about 1,000 mw in the this financial year. State’s total wind power installed capacity has crossed 7,000 mw in June, accounting for 40 per cent of country’s total wind power capacity.

“The total installed wind power capacity as on June 30 was 7,055 mw, contributing to 40 per cent of country’s total wind capacity. During 2011-12, the state added an all time high capacity addition of 1,083 mw and the state is expecting wind capacity... Read more..

Swiss govt to help make Indian buildings more energy efficient

Switzerland is preparing a feasibility report on improving energy efficiency in the buildings coming up in India as they are likely to be major contributors to carbon emissions.

Switzerland already has an MoU with the Power Ministry that is aimed at reducing energy consumption in new buildings in India.

"In the energy efficiency sector in India, we see ourselves as providing technical assistance programme. It is largely technology guidance and know how.

"We are looking at knowledge contribution in the energy efficiency space in India," Swiss Ambassador to India Linus... Read more..

Solar homes to meet state households energy needs

The state's plans to exploit renewable energy sources to meet electricity demands has inched one step closer to reality with the central government giving an in-principle approval for the 10,000 Solar Homes project. An official announcement is expected soon, said a top government official.

Solar power plants, with a capacity of 1kw, will be installed on roof tops of 10,000 homes. Solar panels, which can generate approximately five units of electricity every day will be installed on rooftops due to the scarcity of huge tracts of land required for solar power plants.

It is... Read more..

As grids trip, Govt focuses on solar power

Numerous states of India recently plunged into darkness as the power grids across North and North East India crashed. Could there be an alternative to avoid such a prospect? Scientists at the Ministry of New And Renewable Energy are now trying out new ways of lighting and cooling your home.

At the Solar Energy Centre in Gurgaon, scientists make hay while the sun shines. Or rather - they make energy.

At the power plant, a huge reflective dish-like surface collects the suns rays, focusing them onto the centre. At the hub, is something called a Sterling Engine. It's filled with... Read more..

Pakistan, India, US overusing groundwater

Heavily-populated regions of Asia, the arid Middle East and parts of the US corn belt are dangerously over-exploiting their underground water supplies, according to a study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.

"The countries that are overusing groundwater most significantly are the United States, India, China, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Mexico, and the highest number of people that are impacted by this live in India and China," Canadian hydrologist Tom Gleeson told AFP.

"Over a quarter of the world's population live in these regions where groundwater is being... Read more..

India and Chile to Collaborate in Enhancing New and Renewable Energy Capacity

A high powered delegation from Chile, lead by their Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Alfredo Moreno Charme met Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Minister for New & Renewable Energy and other senior officials of the Ministry in the capital today. The two sides held detailed discussions on cooperation between India and Chile in the field of Renewable Energy. Dr. Farooq Abdullah informed the Chilean Foreign Minister and the Delegation about the progress made by India in different fields of Renewable Energy and suggested exchange of expertise between the two countries for mutual benefit. He... Read more..

Standard Chartered picks up stake in wind farm

Standard Chartered Bank, which is targeting improvements in energy and resource efficiency in its buildings, has taken a stake in a wind farm to source green energy for an office in Chennai.

It has taken a 26 per cent stake in Green Infra to source over 1.5 million units of electricity annually for its office building on Rajaji Salai in North Chennai. This will meet over 85 per cent of the building’s energy needs, according to Ravi Duvvuru, Regional Head-Regulatory Compliance, India and South Asia.

Energy efficiency initiatives are planned for its office in Pune.

The... Read more..

Wind energy to get incentives in India

The wind power sector is all set to get back the ‘generation-based incentive’ (GBI) benefits, Chairman, Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers’ Association and Chairman and Managing Director, Gamesa India Pvt Ltd, Ramesh Kymal, said quoting ministry sources.

Under the ‘GBI scheme’, wind power generators were given an incentive of 50 paisa per unit, subject to a cap of Rs 62.5 lakh per MW of installed capacity.

The scheme was to cease if the total capacity under it came to 4,000 MW or by March 31, 2012, whichever comes earlier.

The wind power generating industry has been... Read more..

Global pact signed to support low-carbon cement investments

Indian cement majors, including ACC Ltd, Shree Cement Ltd and Ultratech, have signed a co-operation pact to support low-carbon investments in India. The pact was signed in Geneva with member companies of the World Business Council (WBC) for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative and International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Under the pact, a Low Carbon Technology Roadmap for the Indian cement industry is to be launched this year-end. “This will be the first roadmap to focus on one specific industrial sector in a single country,” a WBC release said.

The... Read more..

Indian Solar Action Forum proposed

The creation of a pan-solar industry body of professionals called ‘Indian Solar Action Forum (I-SAF) has been mooted.

Industrialists and corporate executives, who attended a photovoltaic manufacturing summit in Gurgaon, Delhi, have mooted the I-SAF with an objective “to build an actionable agenda with a charter to expand India’s solar economy significantly.”

I-SAF aims to bring together government departments, energy development agencies, power utilities, manufacturers, EPCs, system integrators, project developers, research bodies, quality testing centres, academic... Read more..