Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Carbon credits: UN panel for taking thermal plants off list

In a move that can adversely hit India's low carbon approach a United Nations panel wants energy efficient thermal power plants not to be considered under global carbon offsetting scheme, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) as claims on emission reduction were inflated. In a report submitted to CDM Executive Board, a body that decides on the nature of the products that can be allowed, the panel sought suspension of carbon trading for super critical thermal plants as emission reductions claimed have been overstated by 25 to 50%.

India had embarked upon cleaner super critical coal... Read more..

Reckitt Benckiser releases second annual sustainibility report

Reckitt Benckiser, the global consumer products giant, has published its second annual sustainability report, detailing the sustainability improvements achieved in the last year. The report and associated data has been independently assured by PricehousewaterCoopers (PwC).

Environmental sustainability improvements include an 11% reduction per unit dose in the carbon impact across its products’ lifecycle. By doing so, according to the company, it has already achieved half of its goal to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% by 2020.  Launched only in 2007, Carbon 20 approach is... Read more..

Peddar Rd flyover to have noise, pollution barriers

To address environment concerns regarding the construction of the Peddar Road flyover, the Maharshrastra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said it will use state-of-the-art technology to combat air and noise pollution. Residents have time and again protested against the flyover which they say would cause inconvenience and pollution in the area.

The corporation has proposed the use of solar-powered air purifiers mounted on streetlight poles, noise barriers and visibility barriers to address these issues. “Solar-powered air purifiers have been used before in... Read more..

Thermax unveils new solar cooling system

Thermax has designed and commissioned a first-of-a-kind solar airconditioning system at the Solar Energy Centre in Gurgaon, Haryana. The 100-kw technology demonstration project was inaugurated by Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah in the presence of Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde recently.

The project was partly funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Thermax managing director and CEO M S Unnikrishnan said a growing India will consume 35 per cent of electricity it generates for cooling and... Read more..

Demand for renewable units picks up

As the first quarter of the current fiscal draws to an end, trading in renewable energy certificates (REC) has started gaining momentum. The latest REC trading not only saw an increase in volumes, but also rise in buyers' interest.

The June 29 trade saw a volume increase of 14 per cent over the previous one. A total of 15,902 RECs were traded and the price discovered was Rs 1,505 for each certificate, which was marginally higher than the previous three months.

The increased interest could be attributed to the company's working out their finances in the new fiscal to meet... Read more..

Airlines Cleared for Biofuels

After decades of waiting, commercial airlines have been given the go-ahead to use fuel made from algae, wood chips, and other plants with obscure names. Test flights in recent years by  (UAL)Continental, Japan Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic have shown that planes can fly on everything from coconut oil to jatropha, a plant that grows in the tropics.

On July 1, ASTM International, an American organization that sets worldwide technical standards for the airline and other industries, gave approval for carriers to mix fuel made from organic waste and nonfood plants with kerosene, which is... Read more..

OGPL - Synchronises its 10 MW Biomass IPP in Coimbatore District

 Orient Green Power Company Limited (OGPL), a leading independent renewable energy-based power generation company in India today reported that it has synchronized its 10 MW Biomass power plant near Pollachi into the state grid of Tamil Nadu at Angalakurichi in Coimbatore District. The Biomass Power Plant with the capacity of 10 MW is the first of its kind in India with a specially designed Boiler, which predominantly uses the coconut fronds that are available in the Pollachi Belt.

The commissioning of the Pollachi plant is a notable development as it adds renewable power capacity in... Read more..

Investors face volatile solar industry outlook

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The global market for solar panels risks becoming volatile as falling prices of panels and over-reliance on so-... Read more..

Climatic conditions unsuitable for the

Climatic conditions unsuitable for the existing biodiversity may metamorphose 21% of Maharashtra's forest vegetation by 2030, a recent study by the Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science said.

The study, which assessed the impact of global warming and climate change on Indian forests, their types, distribution and productivity using the dynamic global vegetation model, said about 45% of the forested areas in the state will undergo change by 2080.

It painted a grim picture for northern and central parts of the Western Ghats including the districts of Sindhudurg, Raigad... Read more..

Small farms key to global food security, says UN

Governments must work towards a major shift towards small-scale farming if endemic food crises are to be overcome and production boosted to support the global population, the United Nations said on Tuesday. In its annual World Economic and Social Survey , it said a transformation from large-scale and intensive systems of agriculture was vital if growing environmental and land degradation was to be avoided.

The food crisis of 2007-08 and a price spike this year "have revealed deep structural problems in the global food system and the need to increase resources and innovation in... Read more..

'J&K spends Rs 25k cr on import of electricity into the state'

 Seeking cooperation of the people in conserving power energy, Jammu and Kashmir government has said it spends Rs 25,000 crore annually on import of electricity into the state.

"The people need to cooperate in conserving power energy as the state spends Rs 25,000 crore annually on import of electricity," Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said.

A second mini hydel power house would be constructed at Branwar in the central Kashmir, he said after laying foundation stone of Rs 3.13 crore Muqam-Hangoo road in his home constituency of Charar-i-Sharief in Budgam district.

"... Read more..

TATA gets postponement of dioxin emissions

TATA Steel gets to August 2 the time to show that dioxin emissions back to the standards of the province. If this is not the case, given the steel company after each detected violation a fine of EUR 150,000.

TATA reports twice a month to the county, so in the worst case, the monthly penalty of up to three tonnes.

In December last year showed that the dioxin emissions from the cleaning of the sinter plant suddenly more than two times too high. When TATA Steel not brought in two residues in the production of sinter halved the dioxin emissions. Yet it is still too high. Reason... Read more..