Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Star Rating for electrical gadgets

14 Electrical/Electronic items are presently under the regulation of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency for star labeling scheme. These are as follows:

1. Frost free refrigerator, tubular fluorescent lamp, air-conditioner, distribution transformer (total 4 equipment under mandatory phase);

2. Direct cool refrigerator, room air-conditioner (Cassette, Floor Standing Tower, Ceiling, Corner), induction motor, ceiling fan, electric geyser, liquefied petroleum gas stoves, agriculture pump sets, colour television, washing machine and laptop: (total 10 equipment in Voluntary Phase).... Read more..

IIT’s beach clean-up technology ignored

After an oil spill hit the coast of Mumbai last year, an IIT-Bombay professor devised a simple, easy-to-use technology to separate oil from sand on the city's beaches using portable equipment. The IIT offered the technology free to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the state environment department in October 2010, but it did not get a response. Today, when the city is reeling from another oil spill, the MPCB says it is unaware of the technology.

The technology—devised by Dr Shyam Asolekar, professor, Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay—... Read more..

Gujarat gets tough on old vessels

 It is time Maharashtra learns a lesson or two from Gujarat.

Setting an example for other coastal states in the country, Gujarat plans to soon impose strict rules on vessels older than 25 years that enter its ports.

The move comes after MV Rak Carrier sank near the Mumbai coast on August 5. The resulting oil spill has polluted the waters and the coastline.

Though two major oil spills took place in Maharashtra in the last 12 months, the state is yet to take any stringent action.

“We are not going to ban the entry of vessels that are more than 25 years old, but... Read more..

Vorks Energy to provide solar rooftop solution to a Delhi Schools

 Vorks Energy has recently signed agreements with number of schools in Delhi and NCR region to provide solar roof top solution. The schools will run completely on solar energy during the day and will use energy from battery bank when sun is not available. The system is ideal for schools and colleges, since majority of usage for electricity is during school working hours which are typically around 8 to

9 hours. This typical usage can easily be provided using solar energy generated from PV modules.

According to Mr. Ashish Kumar, Executive Director, Vorks Energy, "Schools are... Read more..

KfW to Loan 250 Million Euros to Build Biggest Indian Solar Park

 KfW Entwicklungsbank, the German state development bank, agreed to loan 250 million euros ($356 million) to build India’s biggest solar park.

The bank, based in Frankfurt, will help fund the 125- megawatt Shivajinagar Sakri plant with a loan to Maharashtra State Power Generation Co., KfW said in a statement. The park, which can be expanded to 150 megawatts, powering the homes of 400,000 people, will cost as much as 370 million euros, it said.

That would equal the capacity from all 30 plants approved in India’s first national auction of photovoltaic projects in December. The... Read more..

Solar revenue to shrink as price drops outpace growth

Solar industry revenue will shrink before it begins to rise again because dramatic price declines on solar panels will outweigh corresponding volume increases, according to a new report by Lux Research.

Revenue in the solar power industry is expected to slip to $56.9 billion in 2012 from $64.4 billion in 2010, Lux said in a report released on Thursday.

It will recover to $65.4 billion by 2016, the firm said.

Cuts to government incentives for solar power in top markets like Italy and Germany have led to an oversupply of solar panels in the market, and prices on panels... Read more..

CPM accuses PM Manmohan Singh of misleading nation on clean waiver for import of ENR technology

 CPM has accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of misleading the nation on clean waiver for the import of enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technology.

"We were then told a number of times and the Prime Minister time and again assured the House that the waiver granted by the US was full and complete. But the US has clearly barred enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technology transfer to India," CPM parliamentary party leader Basudev Acharia said in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour on Thursday.

The party demanded that the PM make a statement in the Lok Sabha, clarifying the issue... Read more..

Larry C. Holmberg Appointed CEO of Solar Semiconductor, Inc.

Solar Semiconductor, Inc. announced today at the India Renewable Energy Expo that Larry C. Holmberg has been appointed CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of the Company. Larry is a Co-Founder and CEO of Solar Infra, Inc. Solar Semiconductor also announced the signing of an agreement to acquire Solar Infra and is in the process of completing the acquisition.

"We are very excited to have Larry join our executive team," said Hari Surapaneni, Chairman of the Board of Solar Semiconductor. "He brings a wealth of executive experience in the solar and high tech industries and has a... Read more..

Coal India Limited Proposes 20 Coal Preparation Plants to Improve Quality

Researched by Industrial Info India (Delhi, India) -- Coal India Limited (CIL) (Kolkata, West Bengal), has proposed the establishment of 20 new coal preparation plants as part of its expanding mining activities. The proposal is part of the company's plan to overcome the quality problems of Indian coal and encourage clean-coal technologies. The proposed coal prep plants will be established under a build, operate and maintain (BOM) model at an estimated cost of $555 million. The plants' combined capacity would be 111 million tons.

Chennai corporation prepares action plan after Jayalalitha sets 3-month target to clean city

A day after chief minister J Jayalalithaa set a target to clean up Chennai and its suburbs in three months, the corporation is mapping out an action plan.

Corporation commissioner D Karthikeyan said the special conservancy operations would begin this weekend. "Specific areas in each of the 10 zones of the corporation will be covered. The entire city will be covered in a phased manner," he said.

When the clean-up begins, every day, the corporation is likely to target 3-6 wards in each of the zones so as to cover all 155 wards in a week. An army of conservancy workers will be... Read more..

'Green infrastructure needed to spur growth

  Sustainable development and adoption of green business practices has become the cornerstone of any debate one environment. With India's economy recording a steady growth rate, it has become even more important for sustainability to feature prominently in the country's development plans. To address these concerns, The Economic Times organized the InfraGreen'11, an initiative by Times Grey Cell, with a focus on 'making green the national agenda'. 

Speaking at the inaugural session, environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan stressed on the need for creation of green infrastructure.... Read more..

IEC mounted solar system unveiled in Gujarat

 Gujarat witnessed unveiling of intelligent energy controller (IEC) mounted on 3.4 KW solar system at Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU), Gandhinagar. Gujarat's principal secretary of energy and petrochemicals DJ Pandian dedicated the system to Solar School situated in the campus of the university. 

IEC is a technology which can simulate yields from every solar panel to utilize the potential of the panel to the fullest. This ultimately facilitates generation of 10 to 20% extra power. This IEC technology is the latest invention of technocrat and former advisor to Prime... Read more..