Sustainability Outlook Headlines

India Plans to Relax Solar Rules

  India plans to make changes to its solar energy program, including relaxing timelines and increasing project sizes, in order to attract larger companies and boost investment in the sector, the renewable energy secretary said Wednesday.

"Now we are working to relax a few norms and attract bigger players in the upcoming bids, which are likely to come up this month," Deepak Gupta said.

The move comes after the program's first phase failed to generate enough enthusiasm, with critics saying it offered low tariffs and narrow margins, and had financing difficulties and uncertain... Read more..

Anil Ambani to set up solar power plants in Rajasthan

Industrialist Anil Ambani of the Reliance Group is keen on setting up more solar power plants in Rajasthan.

Ambani met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Wednesday at his official residence and discussed in detail about setting up of additional solar energy plants in the state, an official statement said.

Ambani informed Gehlot that Reliance Group is keen to set up solar power plants of 500 MW total capacity in Rajasthan at a cost of Rs.8,000 crore, according to officials in the Chief Minister's Office.

The officials said Ambani informed Gehlot about progress in work on two... Read more..

Some Chennai residents make the most out of organic waste

The government has announced its ambitious plan to clear the city of accumulated garbage in three months but waste management practices are already being implemented, albeit on a smaller scale, by non-profit organizations and individuals.

Exnora International, a non-profit organization, says it has successfully used such techniques in more than 18 apartment complexes and several educational institutions across the city - segregating garbage into organic and inorganic waste before recycling it.

"We have encouraged residents to dig vermi-composting pits and tanks in their... Read more..

Ankleshwar aims to get rid of critically polluted status by Sept

 COME September and one of the most critically polluted areas in the country, Ankleshwar industrial estate in South Gujarat would become greener with improved compliance to norms set by the country's pollution regulator.

Going by the claims made by the industrial body, Ankleshwar Industries Association (AIA) pollution levels in the region would be brought under permissible limits.

"We are making all efforts to fulfill requirements of the Action Plan and bring down the pollution levels within desired limits. So far we have achieved almost 90 per cent of the compliance part and... Read more..

ADAG bets big on wind power

 Reliance Power Ltd plans to set up a 200 megawatt (mw) wind power plant in Vashpet, Maharashtra, which could be the biggest in the country.

The Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group company will invest Rs1,500 crore and the long-term plan is to double the generation.

R Power has around 100 mw wind power capacities in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

According to company sources, orders have been placed for 80 wind electric generators with a rated capacity of 2.5 mw each.

German firm Fuhrlander would be providing the technology.

Reliance Power hopes to have the... Read more..

Rajiv Gandhi's advisor hails Guj green power

 Praising Gujarat's initiative on solar energy, P S Deodhar, electronic technology advisor to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi said the state was doing well to promote renewable energy sources. 

Unveiling the Intelligent Energy Control (IEC) mounted solar system at Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Deodhar talked to TOI on the sidelines saying that Gujarat government was utilizing waste land effectively for installing solar power generation capacity. The future for solar power generation is very bright, thanks to the increased level of awareness in the country, particularly... Read more..

Lanco installs a solar photovoltaic plant at Parliament

Lanco Solar, a fully owned subsidiary of Lanco Infratech Limited, has commissioned 80KwP Grid Connected Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant at the Parliament House Complex.

TheRooftop PV energy solution has been running successfully for over four months now, and generates upto 400 units of electricity on a daily basis.

LANCO Solar was awarded the contract to build, operate and maintain an 80 KwP Solar Photovoltaic Rooftop Power Plant in the Parliament House Annexe by the Punjab Energy Development Agency or PEDA, which was the nodal agency under the guidance of MNRE.

"This... Read more..

Waste water mgmt a headache for AP pharma SMEs

HYDERABAD, INDIA: Absence of appropriate and adequate waste water treatment technology is affecting the small scale pharma units in Andhra Pradesh, according to a report by Pharmabiz.com.

Industry leaders say that two effluent treatment plants in the state - Jeedimetla Effluent Technology Limited and Patancheru effluent Technology Limited - are not enough for their operation. They allege that over the past few years, the state government had not given much attention to their demands for setting up waste water treatment plants or common effluent treatment plants.

On the... Read more..

'Energy sector may not see reduction on oil dependence'

 World energy mix in general and Indian energy sector in particular is unlikely to see major reduction on oil dependence in 2035 against consumption levels in 2008. While share of coal, gas and renewable energy will rise marginally, oil will remain the most dominant fuel, B N Bankapur, director (refineries) IOCL said, delivering the Professor M G Subba Rau lecture series at 52nd Institute Foundation Day celebrations of NITK here on Saturday.

India, and China are projected for fastest growth for consumption of fuel. World energy demand will expand by 45% from now to 2030, an average... Read more..

'Make ship owners pay for polluting shores'

 The oil spill from MV Rak Carrier, which sank off the city's coast last Thursday, underlines the need to fix liability for marine pollution caused by vessels. Maritime experts say the Centre should ratify at the earliest the International Maritime Organization's Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea Protocol 2010, which fixes liability by spelling out compensatory provisions and by mandating the need for ship owners to have insurance. 

Unlike existing national laws, the global convention places a huge monetary liability on ship owners if their vessel causes marine pollution. For... Read more..

Social bodies launch campaign against agri MNC

 On the occasion on Quit India Day on Monday, NGOs and social activists launched a campaign called 'Monsanto, Quit India.' To be held simultaneously at various places across 15 states of the country, the aim of campaign is to raise the demand of turning away big multinational seed and agro-chemical companies from domestic markets. 

The movement is heralded by Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA), an all-India network of about 400 organizations of farmers, agricultural workers, consumers, social activists and academics, 'working to promote ecologically sustainable... Read more..

Farmers seek speedy clearance for Biotech Regulatory Bill & Seeds Bill

 Farmers came together on Monday with scientists and agri-biotech industry to demand the second green revolution in India. Speaking in a unified voice they agreed that use of new technologies in agriculture was the only hope for farmers and solution to address the challenges of food security. 

According to a working paper by Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), India would have to double its food production by 2020. Faced with tremendous challenges of ever reducing arable land & water resources, quality of soil, climate change, and shortage... Read more..