Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Reliance Shares Slide as Chairman Ambani Fails to Explain Gas Output Drop

Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), India’s biggest company by market value, declined the most in more than two weeks after billionaire Chairman Mukesh Ambani failed to indicate when the company will increase natural gas production.

The shares fell 1.7 percent to 934.60 rupees at the close in Mumbai, the most since May 18.

Reliance has trailed the benchmark Sensitive Index, in which it has the highest weighting, since July, after failing to increase production from the nation’s biggest gas deposit. Ambani, 54, told shareholders today the company and BP Plc will jointly assess “... Read more..

Waste-energy plant to tackle garbage, generate power

With inefficiency in garbage disposal, the world is walking towards a dead end, said K S Siva Prasad, chairman, Bangalore Blended Fuels (Pvt) Ltd, who has designed a waste-energy plant to tackle this problem. The plant that converts municipal solid waste into clean burning refuse derived fuel (RDF), could handle 700 tonnes of waste per day and generate 8MW of power.

... Read more..

India can't do without nuclear, thermal energy: Ramesh

Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh Friday said there was no alternative to commercial energy - nuclear and thermal - if India aims to continue developing annually at a rate of 9 percent.

 
"A country of 1.21 billion cannot fulfill its energy demands from renewable sources alone. It needs commercial sources like nuclear and thermal energy," said Ramesh at an event 'Green Haat' held here to mark the launch leading up to the World Environment Day June 5.

On Germany's decision to shut down all its nuclear plants, Ramesh said: "Every country has to... Read more..

Ramesh slams corporates on tapping renewable energy sources

Criticising big corporates for their reluctance in tapping renewable energy sources, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Friday said they must change their "conservative approach" and the real job of developing green technology has to be done by the corporate sector.

"Companies are conservative in their approach towards the solar energy. I don''t know why they are so conservative," the Minister said and added if 100 big companies were going to do this, it will set an example for the rest of the world.

Addressing a session on "Building Green Economy", Ramesh also said India... Read more..

Development to eat up Sankey Road greenery

Secure a picture of the green canopy with a pristine lake at Sankey Road, as it will soon be history in a week's time.

The BBMP is hell bent on widening the road from Cauvery Theatre to Malleswaram 18th Cross and has issued a work order. In a week's time, the serenity of the area, marked with chirping of birds, will be replaced by the noise and dust generated by bulldozers.

What the Palike officials and elected representatives have been denying for the last two years will be a reality soon. The urgency to start work stems from the fact that the milch cow, the Jawaharlal Nehru... Read more..

Govt apathy hits renewable energy: Greens

With non-renewable energy sources in India, such as coal, petroleum and natural gas, on the verge of extinction, the need to tap into renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy has risen considerably.

Although a number of NGOs and individuals have taken the lead, the government’s lack of interest is slowing down further research in the field, feel environmentalists.

Vijay Joglekar, an activist and businessman from Chiplun in Ratnagiri, has been campaigning for solar energy for the past ten years now. “How can we not see the potential of solar power? Forget about... Read more..

Clenergen is Said to Become One of India's Largest Biomass Power Generating Companies in 2011

Clenergen India Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Clenergen Corporation (OTCQB:CRGE)(FRANKFURT:9CE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Aurobindo Agro Energy Private Limited to acquire an 8.5MW biomass power plant located in Klayarkoil, Tamilnadu. Following the acquisition Clenergen will be operating 55.3MW of power generating plants in India, with projected annual revenues of $50 million and gross earnings estimated at $12 million.

The plant has a license to generate up to 21MW of electricity on site, which includes 50 acres of land to support the expansion. The... Read more..

Solar grows 40% over 2010: E&Y renewable country rankings

Ernst & Young released its latest Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices, which rank global renewable energy markets by investment strategies/infrastructures. The indices are quarterly.

The US's strong solar adoption has it in second place, behind only China, according to the report, China remains on top due to offshore wind, and an aggressive five year RFP that specs 11.3% of energy from renewable sources by 2015. In solar indices, the US takes top honors, followed by India then China.

Many top-20 countries suffered from declining incentives and capital. Japan... Read more..

"World Environment Day" includes release of a New Forest Report

Worldwide events and the release of a new report supporting the Year of Forests 2011 takes place on World Environment Day.

On Sunday, June 5, 2011, global events supporting the 39th World Environment Day will continue the year-long celebration of the United Nations-sponsored “International Year of Forests.”

India will be the host nation for the worldwide event and the UN Environmental Program will release a new report during a ceremony in New Delhi that outlines the green economy potential of global forests.

"We need a strong ethic of conservation and in this role,... Read more..

New airport to be green gateway to Chennai

 If an airport marks the gateway of a city, Chennai will soon get the status of a city with Asia's greenest gateway in another couple of months.

The H-shaped terminal will have a total area of more than 1,50,000 sq m. The frontage alone is 1.5-km. Elevated roads provide departure on the first floor while the ground floor is for arrival. Travellators in glass tubes connect the international and domestic terminal buildings.

Gurpreet Singh Shah, associate principal architect of Delhi-based Creative Group, said: "The project with an estimated cost of Rs 2015 crores uses eco-... Read more..

World’s megacities act on climate change

The first global cities report from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is being released today, with 42 of the world’s major cities that emit 1.2 billion metric tonnes CO2 emissions between them, including Berlin, Johannesburg, London, New York, São Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo, having reported on their climate change actions.

The CDP report’s release is happening in conjunction with the C40 Cities Mayors Summit in São Paulo, Brazil, where over 70 of the world’s largest cities are convening.

The report details how the world’s largest city governments – 58 core and affiliate... Read more..

Sunderbans absorbs 4 cr tonnes carbon dioxide

The Sunderbans forests play a vital role in protecting the world from the adverse affects of climate change, acting as a carbon sink and absorbing more than four crore tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a recent study has found. 

 
Having 2,118 sq km of total mangrove forest cover, the Indian Sunderbans have soaked in 4.15 crore tonnes of carbon dioxide, valued at $79 billion in the international market, researchers from the University of  Calcutta said.

“Mangrove trees act as a natural tank for carbon dioxide storage and absorb carbon for their own needs.... Read more..