Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Tamil Nadu's first wind energy plant now lies abandoned

Twenty-one windmills established in the salt pan village of Mullakadu in Tuticorin district during the 1980s, today stand dilapidated having outlived their life span. However, people in the locality feel that these windmills can be revived or repaired to augment the present energy needs of the state.

Tamil Nadu ranks seventh in respect of gross potential and third in respect of technical potential with regard to wind energy in India. Forty-one potential wind energy generation sites were identified and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) established the first set of demonstration... Read more..

Nagaland govt goes big way in installing solar power

In the face of erratic electricity supply in the state, the Nagaland government has planned to install solar power facility in most of the directorate building of various departments within this year.

Although the department of new and renewable energy (NRE) wanted to install solar energy plates in all the 60 directorate buildings by end of March next the survey found that only 47 building are feasible to do so as the remaining one do not have spaces.

Speaking at installation of solar energy plates at chief secretary’s residence, director of NRE T S Angami said the Union... Read more..

Can the U.S. Economy Be Sustained for Another 236 Years?

“Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favour,” Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776

The original Declaration of Independence, badly faded from poor 19th-century preservation techniques, is on permanent display in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Each passing Fourth of July provides evidence that this document is better preserved than the land whose inhabitants it... Read more..

Telcos to buy wind, solar power to reduce carbon footprint

Telecom industry bodies COAI and AUSPI today said they have placed a power purchase order with seven renewable energy generation companies (Rescos) to power as many as 1 lakh telecom towers.

"The umbrella body of telecom tower companies, Tower & Infrastructure Providers Association (Taipa), had two months ago sent a request for proposal (RFP) to seven Rescos like Moser Bayer and ABB, informing of readiness to buy their entire generation to power our 1 lakh towers," Cellular Operators Association of India (Coai) director general Rajan S Mathews told PTI.

Though the initial... Read more..

Sushil Kumar Shinde rolls out PAT for energy efficiency

Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday launched the 'perform, achieve and trade' scheme to improve energy efficiency of sectors such as iron and steel, cement, fertilizers, aluminium, textiles, thermal plants and paper.

The scheme of the bureau of energy efficiency (BEE) aims to improve the efficiency standards of these sectors by 2015. The government notified the targets under the Energy Conservation Act 2001 for 478 industrial units and thermal power stations on March 30, 2012.

These sectors cover over 65% of industrial electric consumption in the country,... Read more..

Coal India gets PMO’s policy push

The government is making the right moves to ensure that power companies can have adequate supplies of coal in the near future.

The mines for Coal India will get faster environment and forest clearances after the details are ironed out at a meeting later this week. Initial estimates suggest that the clearances would help at 113 million tonnes or nearly 25 per cent of the estimated output of 470 million tonnes for Coal India during the current fiscal.

13 projects of Coal India will benefit from the clearances that are expected shortly. The public hearing regarding the 13... Read more..

Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s energy efficiency scheme hits hurdles

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency's (BEE's) much talked about PAT (perform-achieve-trade) scheme, which came into effect in April, has hit early hurdles. Very few companies have submitted roadmaps after the government set energy reduction targets and asked for initial updates by June 30.

The PAT regime would see energy intensive companies generating business benefits by trading in energy saving certificates (EScerts). If companies fail to meet the reduction targets at the end of a three year cycle, they can either pay a penalty or buy EScerts from other units that have met their... Read more..

Corporates , NGOs to help tackle garbage issue

The Pune Municipal Corporation has decided to involve corporate companies and NGOs in solving the garbage problem in the city and implement the 'zero garbage' scheme throughout the city. The funds for making all the wards garbage free will be raised through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

The solid waste management department of the PMC has already issued tender for the scheme. It has appealed to NGOs and corporate firms to come forward and join hands for the project. The civic body has been given 15 days' time for the NGOs and the companies to get in touch with... Read more..

Over 57 villages electrified due to solar power in Jaisalmer

At a time when entire Rajasthan is reeling under intense heat wave, the scorching Sun has proved to be a blessing for as many as 57 remote villages of the district due to solar power.

"With the positive outcome, the department has now proposed to electrify 36 more hamlets in the district," said K S Rathore an engineer of power supply cooperation.

He adds that solar power has emerged as an excellent option for these areas where routine electrification is difficult due to a challenging terrain.

He said the Rajasthan has got huge potential for solar energy generation, for... Read more..

Inauguration of PAT Scheme by Hon’ble Minister for Power, Shri Sushilkumar Shinde

In continuation to the several schemes on Energy Efficiency launched by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (Ministry of Power, Government of India), Honourable Minister of Power Shri Sushilkumar Shinde, will launch the PAT (Perform, Achieve and Trade) Scheme today, at Dr. D. S. Kothari Auditorium, DRDO HQ Bhawan, New Delhi. The Minister of State for Power Shri K.C.Venu Gopal will also be present on the occasion.

The PAT Mechanism is an important initiative under National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE) programme of Government of India under the eight national missions of... Read more..

India to launch $40 bn Phase II of JnNURM

India will launch the $40 billion second phase of its urban renewal mission in about four months, Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath told delegates attending the World Cities Summit here today.

The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) phase II would be carried out over the next five years as India works to cover its infrastructure deficit throughout the country and manage massive urbanisation programmes, he told the Summit's opening plenary session.

"The challenge is not only to bridge the deficit but to also to build for the future," Nath said, adding... Read more..

Mahindra REVA Electric Vehicle Company plant awarded Green Factory platium rating

Other factories across India should take a page out of the book of the Mahindra and Mahindra green factory plant in Bangalore. The plant was recently certified by Indian Green Building Council and was rated as the best and even awarded a Platinum Ring for their outstanding contribution to preserving the environment.

This environmentally conscious plant of Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicle Company scored 82 points in the review conducted by IGBS as ensured that it stands way ahead among all other automobile manufacturing plants in the country. Receiving a Platinum Ring is the highest... Read more..