Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Rio Tinto blames carbon tax for 515 job losses

Rio Tinto has become the latest multinational to blame a factory closure on new carbon taxes, after it announced that it was shutting an aluminium smelter near Newcastle upon Tyne with the loss of 515 jobs.

In a fresh blow for the hard-hit north-east England, Rio is shutting its operation at Lynemouth on the Northumberland coast, which has been an important source of employment for 40 years.

Rio said: "We were unsuccessful in finding a credible buyer for the smelter and will now close the operation after consultations with trade unions. The smelter is no longer a sustainable... Read more..

Orbital solar power plants could meet Earth's energy needs

The sun's abundant energy, if harvested in space, could provide a cost-effective way to meet global power needs in as little as 30 years with seed money from governments, according to a study by an international scientific group.

Orbiting power plants capable of collecting solar energy and beaming it to Earth appear "technically feasible" within a decade or two based on technologies now in the laboratory, a study group of the Paris-headquartered International Academy of Astronautics said.

Such a project may be able to achieve economic viability in 30 years or less, it said,... Read more..

India and UK Agree to set up Partnership fund for Pro-poor Renewables on Priority basis

 Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change of U.K. Shri Greg Barker met Minister of New & Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah in New Delhi today. Both the Ministers were accompanied by high level delegations. There was a detailed discussion between the two sides on cooperation in the field of Renewable Energy. Dr. Abdullah explained various initiatives being taken by India in the field of Renewable Energy. 

Both the Ministers agreed that the proposed Partnership Fund for pro-poor Renewables should be set up on priority basis to scale up installation of renewable energy... Read more..

No point in Kyoto pact extension without US, says Britain

While supporting the extension of Kyoto Protocol, Britain says it won't be good for the European Union (EU) to sign up for a second commitment to the only legally binding agreement on emission cuts if the US and other major economies do not follow suit.

Britain's Minister of State for Climate Change Gregory Barker, on a visit here, told IANS that his country, and the 27-nation EU, are ready for a global agreement on climate change, but other countries seem less enthusiastic.

That is where progress has to be made at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (... Read more..

SCS Awards India’s First FSC Certification for Timber Plantation to Patneshwari Co-Operative

Scientific Certification Systems has certified the Patneshwari Agricultural Co-Operative Limited under the internationally recognized Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) program, making it the first timber-producing forest in India to earn FSC certification.

Emeryville, CA (PRWEB) November 15, 2011

Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) has certified the Patneshwari Agricultural Co-Operative Limited (PACL) under the internationally recognized Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) program. PACL is the first timber-producing forest in India to earn FSC certification.

The... Read more..

European firms tap India's huge environment technology market

With India's environment technology market estimated at eight billion euros (approx USD 10 bn) and growing rapidly, European firms with expertise in energy efficiency, solid waste management, and water and waste water treatment are making a beeline to the country.
 
Representatives of European firms with know-how and experience in water and waste water treatment, biomass refining, setting up floating photovoltaic systems on water bodies, automated waste collection and restoring lakes and rivers are in Bangalore to market their expertise.

The five-day visit of the 19... Read more..

Activists meet to consider effects of climate change on women

After formulating the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in 2008, prime minister Manmohan Singh had urged all the states to submit a state action plan that would help form policies related to climate adaptation in the country. Only a few states have come up with their plans. However, none of these plans would really be able to serve their purpose, feel experts.

The city saw activists, scientists and villagers come together to discuss the effect of climate change on women on Monday during a national hearing organized by city-based NGO Youth for Unity & Voluntary... Read more..

Call for joint effort to save power

Kerala can achieve a 15 per cent overall saving in power consumption through a concerted effort involving utilities, consumers, and the government, said Pradeep Kumar, Secretary, Power, here on Monday.

Presiding over the inaugural function of a special discussion meet with certified energy managers and energy auditors organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the Energy Management Centre (EMC), he said the agriculture, commercial, and domestic sectors, local self-government institutions, and streetlighting could be targeted for energy efficiency.

He... Read more..

Borrowing costs pinch renewable energy industry

Rising interest costs and execution are the biggest challenges in the development of a viable renewable energy sector in India, panellists said at the India Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Mumbai on Monday.

“In the last 12 months, interest rates have gone up six times, which is a disincentive for the renewable energy sector that requires high capital investment,” said Tulsi Tanti, chairman of wind turbine maker Suzlon Energy Ltd.

Tanti stressed that the price of power is fixed by the industry regulator and the increasing cost of borrowing cannot be... Read more..

Orbital solar power plants could meet Earth's energy needs

The sun's abundant energy, if harvested in space, could provide a cost-effective way to meet global power needs in as little as 30 years with seed money from governments, according to a study by an international scientific group.

Orbiting power plants capable of collecting solar energy and beaming it to Earth appear "technically feasible" within a decade or two based on technologies now in the laboratory, a study group of the Paris-headquartered International Academy of Astronautics said.

Such a project may be able to achieve economic viability in 30 years or less, it... Read more..

Nuke energy option must be tried to meet energy deficit:Farooq

Noting that dependency on renewable energy would not help India meet its power needs, Union Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah today said all options including that of nuclear energy must be tried to meet the deficit.

"We need more and more power generation and renewable energy only will not be the answer. We will have to depend on fossil fuel and we will have to work on nuclear energy also.

India cannot develop unless we have massive energy and our aim should be to get it from all possible sources," he said.

Addressing a seminar organised by ASSOCHAM on... Read more..

Soham Renewable Energy eyes projects worth 100 MW

 Bangalore-based Soham Renewable Energy India Pvt Ltd is scouting for acquisitions in the renewable energy space and is working on a target of acquiring 100 MW of projects in the next two years.

“We are open to acquisitions in the wind, solar or biomass space across the country; if good opportunities come up we may even look at Sri Lanka,” Mr Sanjith S. Shetty, Managing Director of the company, told Business Line.

Soham has already tied up investments to fund the potential acquisitions and recently received Rs 125 crore funding from SBI Macquarie Infrastructure Fund, out of a... Read more..