Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Tiffany Releases First-Ever Corporate Responsibility Report

Tiffany & Co. today launched its first annual web-based Corporate Responsibility Report. The website (www.tiffany.com/sustainability, #tiffanycsr) details the Company’s long history of environmental and social responsibility and Fiscal Year 2010 sustainability performance.

In voluntarily reporting on corporate responsibility performance—the accomplishments, as well as continuing challenges and agenda for change—Tiffany demonstrates its longstanding industry leadership and continued commitment to the environment and community.... Read more..

N-power must for India, China: IEA

The International Energy Agency (IEA), the global energy advisory body, has warned big energy consuming nations like India and China that energy will become "viciously more expensive" and polluting if governments don't promote renewable and nuclear power in the next two decades instead of burning coal.

Stating that nuclear energy remains vital to cope with rising energy demand, the IEA also warned that a pullback from nuclear production, amidst a rise in demand for energy, was likely to drive countries towards increased use of coal and gas, and therefore to generating extra carbon... Read more..

Juwi plans 50 Mw solar capacity

 German renewable energy solutions provider, Juwi Group, which forayed into the Indian market by floating its subsidiary in Bangalore last year, is looking at executing photo voltaic (PV)-based solar power projects with an installed capacity of 50 Mw in the country by the end of the next financial year.

In the last one year, the over 1.2-billion euro company had executed three PV-based solar projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat, together with an installed capacity of 20 Mw.

“We started as an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company in India. Now we are looking at... Read more..

Motorists, it’s time to go electric

 With rising fuel costs, high interest rates and congested roads resulting in a historic drop in the number of petrol and diesel car purchases this Diwali, voices in favour of electric and hybrid cars are getting louder.

The festive month of October registered a 24% drop in sale of passenger cars — the steepest monthly decline in sales in the last decade — revealed figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

There are more than five lakh fuel-run cars plying in the city — and the number is growing by the day — and just 65-70 electric cars.

Ballard Signs MOU With Delta To Expand Focus Of Clean Energy Fuel Cell System Sales in India

Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Delta Power Solutions (India) Pvt. Ltd. [Delta], a subsidiary of Delta Electronics (Thailand) PLC, expanding the range of clean energy applications they will focus on under an existing fuel cell system collaboration agreement.

Christy Clark, British Columbia's Premier and Dr. Farooq Abdullah, India's Minister of New & Renewable Energy, hosted a signing ceremony in New Delhi with senior representatives of Ballard and Delta. Premier Clark is currently... Read more..

Nobel laureate Pachauri ready to work for Bihar

Nobel laureate and chairperson of the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), Rajendra Kumar Pachauri here on Friday offered his services to Bihar.

In response to Bihar's Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi's request at a workshop, Pachauri said: "I will be glad to offer my services for the formulation of Bihar State Action Plan on Climate Change (BSAPCC)."

"Centre should give financial incentives to Bihar because it is going to formulate SAPCC. The Centre should provide incentives to all states which do so, because only concerted efforts ... will lead to climate mitigation... Read more..

India, Switzerland ink deal for energy efficiency

 India and Switzerland have signed an agreement to cooperate in the development of energy-efficient buildings through the use of advanced Swiss technologies.

Philippe Welti, Swiss ambassador to India and joint secretary in the power ministry Devinder Singh recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the real estate sector, according to a statement by the Swiss embassy here Thursday.

"The MoU is for a period of five years and aims at reducing energy consumption in new buildings in India," the statement said.

The objective of the initiative is... Read more..

Farmers' workshop to focus on sustainability of farming

  Agrovision 2012, a four-day event dedicated to agriculture and rural economy, will take place at Nagpur's Reshimbaug grounds between January 27 and 30, 2012.

Convenor of the event and former member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council Girish Ghandhi said on Thursday the major thrust of the event will be to educate, encourage and empower the farming community. "Farmers will get an opportunity to learn about the new technology, innovative methods to increase farm yield, schemes for financing and insurance and bridging knowledge gaps," Ghandhi said.

The event will comprise... Read more..

India Doubles Solar-Power Installation Target as Industry Booms

 India expects to have 10 gigawatts of solar power capacity by 2017, more than double what it initially targeted, as the industry ramps up quicker than predicted.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy plans to award permits for as much as 10,000 megawatts of grid-connected solar plants by 2017, up from its initial target of 4,000 megawatts, Bharat Bhargava, a director at the ministry, said at conference in the southern city of Hyderabad. It’s also doubling its target for off-grid solar plants to 2,000 megawatts, he said.

“Based on present trends, 10,000 megawatts is... Read more..

Flats in city to set up waste treatment units

Kochi is aiming to become the first city in the country to have waste processing units installed in all its apartment complexes.

Of the 197 flats in the city, 111 have become self-reliant with waste management system and efforts are on to persuade others to follow the practice, said T.K. Ashraf, chairman of the Health Standing Committee of the Kochi corporation.

The civic body initiated the campaign of making all the flat and apartment complexes set up waste management systems some time back with the support of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association India (CREDAI... Read more..

India Says Third of Solar Power Projects May Miss January Deadline

A third of solar power projects awarded by India in its first national auction may miss their January deadline for completion, an official at a state-run lender that’s helping to fund the program said today.

Of the 35 photovoltaic plants due to be finished in the first major round of India’s national Solar Mission program, about 12 are unlikely to make it, K.S. Popli, director at the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency, said today in an interview in Hyderabad. He declined to name the companies that wouldn’t meet the deadline.

Companies that don’t complete on time will... Read more..

India to have 2 GW solar power capacity by 2013

 India plans to have two gigawatts (GW) of solar power generation capacity by March 2013, a top official said Wednesday.

The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) has drawn up plans to increase the capacity to 400 megawatts (MW) by the March 31, 2012 end of current financial year.

Bharat Bhargava, director at MNRE and in-charge of solar power projects, told Solarcon India 2011 here Wednesday that bidding process would be completed by the month end for 350 MW under second batch of projects of first phase of National Solar Mission.

The mission is aimed at... Read more..