Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Nokia uses fuel cells and biogas to power manufacturing for first time in 2011

The mobile phone giant, Nokia, has published its 2011 Sustainability Report in which it reveals the efforts it has taken to curb its emissions through the installation of fuel cells and a biogas station at its plants and procurement of renewable energy on the market. The company says it has been increasingly purchasing green electricity since 2006, but is still encountering “the challenge of slower than expected renewable energy market development”.
Nokia uses fuel cells and biogas to power manufacturing for first time in 2011

The report highlights Nokia's performance in the... Read more..

EU carbon auction proposal to be settled by end of year: EC

A European Commission proposal to temporarily withhold a volume of carbon allowances to combat an oversupply in Europe's cap-and-trade system will be completed by the end of 2012, an EC official said Thursday.

"We are planning to come forward before the summer holiday with two products," said Jos Delbeke, director general of the EC's DG Climate Action.

The EC will come forward with a report on the EU Emissions Trading System which will include recommendations on whether action is needed to curb an oversupply of carbon allowances that has sent prices to record lows, he told... Read more..

Energy Agency Looks to Natural Gas "Golden Age"

If a series of "golden rules" can be followed, a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests, global natural gas usage could grow by more than 50 percent by 2035.

The report, released on Tuesday, came under sharp criticism from environmental groups for charting a route to a "golden age" in the extraction and use of natural gas.

As governments around the world are barraged with new applications for exploiting gas deposits, the full implementation of these recommendations could indeed lead to far greater oversight and lessened environmental impact.

... Read more..

Solar RECs listed on Power Exchange for first time

In a first as many as 100 solar renewable energy certificates (RECs) were traded on the Power Exchange of India (PXIL), out of which five were bought at a price of Rs 13,000 per certificate. "PXIL has made a history by concluding the first successful solar REC trade. The first certificate was traded on the exchange, which helped the participants to meet their obligations. They were traded at Rs 13,000 per certificate," PXIL chief executive Rupa Singh told PTI here. RECs are generation-based 'certificates' awarded (electronically, in demat form) to those generating electricity from... Read more..

Gucci launches line of environment-friendly shoes

International designer brand Gucci has launched a line of environment-friendly shoes for both men and women. 

The Italian fashion house's creative director, Frida Giannini, has designed the Sustainable Soles footwear line which includes two styles made with biodegradable plastic. 

The female shoes are ballerinas available in a range of polished tones, including blush, taupe and black and feature cutout details and the company's signature .

The men's are sneakers and are sold in both a low and high-top version with bio-rubber soles while the upper part of the shoe is... Read more..

India offers oil pipeline to Pakistan

India has proposed building a pipeline to its Wagah land frontier with Pakistan.

If constructed, the pipeline could transit up to 50 million tons of petroleum products annually to alleviate Pakistani energy shortages.

An Indian delegation visiting Islamabad and headed by Petroleum Ministry Director for International Cooperation P Kalyanasundaram made the offer during discussions with a Pakistani team headed by Joint Secretary Shabbir Ahmed of the Petroleum Ministry, the Press Trust of India reported Tuesday.

India offered to build the Wagah pipeline export oil to meet... Read more..

Bilateral Carbon Trade Surged Last Year, World Bank Says

The value of bilateral carbon trading surged 15 percent last year after thefts of European Union emission allowances suspended prompt trading on exchanges, the World Bank said.

EU greenhouse-gas trades that didn’t involve exchanges or brokers surged to $17.3 billion, the bank said today in its yearly report on CO2 markets. ICE Futures Europe suspended prompt trading in January last year after thefts of allowances roiled buyers. BlueNext SA, the Paris spot exchange that also temporarily halted transactions, reopened for trading Feb. 4.

The shift to bilateral trading “occurred... Read more..

Surat to be India's first 'Eco City'

The diamond city has taken a step forward to become India's first 'eco city', on the lines of Singapore.

After selecting Surat as one of the three cities in the world for a demonstration project for "eco city" development, UK-based charity The Ecological Sequestration Trust (TEST) has decided to spend nearly Rs 50 crore over a period of five years to build a sustainable development model that will be more environment-friendly.

TEST will begin working with its local partner South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGby July 1.

The funds will be used in setting up... Read more..

Lust for money fuelling power plants

The state government is diverting scarce water resources in the drought-prone Vidarbha region to private thermal power plants.

However, a state energy department official dismissed figures of water that is deprived to farmers as "exaggerated". The six districts in Vidarbha recorded 8,273 farmers' suicides in the past decade. In 2006, PM Manmohan Singh announced a Rs 2,177 crore package to complete irrigation projects following a spate of suicides in the region. Yet, the state water resources department and Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) obtained powers to divert... Read more..

Probe report on JNNURM in 3 months: Kamal Nath

The ongoing probe into the alleged irregularities and malpractices into the JNNURM projects would get over within three months, Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath said here today. He said a detailed report on the irregularities in Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) would be submitted to the government by the probe panel once the inquiry gets over. "The probe panel is investigating into the alleged irregularities, mismanagement of funds including improper utilisation after a number of complaints received from across the places," Kamal Nath told reporters He... Read more..

Solar Power Plants in Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and Union minister for new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah today inaugurated a 18-KW Solar Power Plant at Sub-District Hospital at Charar-i-Sharief in Budgam district. 

This was the second such solar power unit inaugurated by the two leaders in the past two days. Yesterday, one such plant was inaugurated at the Old Assembly Complex here.

The unit inaugurated at Charar-i-Sharief involved an expenditure of about Rs 50 lakhs, an official spokesman said.

He said the Union ministry of new and renewable energy has approved... Read more..

Sankalp Group launches India's first zero carbon village in Maharashtra

Sankalp group has launched India's first zero carbon village - Coral Village with ultra-luxurious villas at Malvan, Sidhudurg district of Maharashtra.

Spread over 47 acres, the first phase of 80 villas spread over 10 acres will be priced over Rs 2 crore each will be ready by 2014 while the total project of 180 villas will be ready for occupancy by 2016.

Appraised by Bank of India, the pre-rated LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum green project has already fully developed two villas and four more are under construction while the rest will be developed... Read more..