You are here
Sustainability Outlook Headlines
Pollution takes a toll on aquatic life in 150 river stretchesDischarge of untreated water into various rivers has left 150 river stretches across the country completely polluted. The level of contamination in these stretches is so high that it cannot support any aquatic life. These stretches are located in almost all parts of the country except Jammu & Kashmir and couple of Union Territories and northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. However, rivers flowing through Maharashtra and Gujarat account for around one-third of all the identified stretches. The stretches are identified by the Central... Read more.. Date : Dec 13 Source: Times of India
|
Transforming India's Future With Solar PowerIn the short span of three years, India has made impressive strides in developing its abundant solar power potential. It has added capacity at a commendable pace, and successfully reduced the costs of solar energy to around $0.12 per kWh for solar photo voltaic (PV) and $0.21 per kWh for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), making India amongst the lowest cost destinations for grid-connected solar power in the world. Growth in the energy sector is key for India as more than 300 million of the country’s people still lack access to electricity, and industry cites energy shortages as a... Read more.. Date : Dec 13 Source: World Bank Group
|
Star ratings for cars put on the back burnerThe move to implement a proposal of star ratings on passenger vehicles, similar to those seen on electrical appliances, is likely to be delayed by several months. Stakeholders from the automobile sector and the government are divided over key facets. It was expected the ratings, aimed at helping a consumer select the most fuel-efficient car within his/her budget, would be implemented this month or the next. “There is no consensus on the most important aspect of a vehicle — the weight. So, according to present criteria, fuel-efficiency ratings for that of Maruti Suzuki models... Read more.. Date : Dec 13 Source: Business Standard
|
Netherlands' Paques to enter IndiaPaques Holding BV of the Netherlands, a well-known global name in the field of green energy, specialising in harnessing industrial waste water through treating biological waste, has signalled its foray into India by setting up a wholly-owned subsidiary.
The subsidiary, Paques Environmental Technology India Pvt. Ltd., is based in Chennai.
The company is now looking to establish a manufacturing base, and is already scouting for an ideal site to locate its proposed production unit.
|
The journey of an Indian onion - Lords of the ringsNITIN JAIN is the big man in Lasalgaon, a dusty town a day’s drive from Mumbai that boasts it has Asia’s biggest onion market. With a trim moustache and a smartphone stuck to his ear he struts past a thousand-odd tractors and trucks laden with red onions. Farmers hurl armfuls at his feet to prove their quality. A gaggle of auctioneers, rival traders and scribes follow him, squabbling and yanking each other’s hair. Asked why onion prices have risen so much, Mr Jain relays the question to the market. “Why?” he bellows. His entourage laughs. He says that the price of India’s favourite... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: The Economist
|
Tata Steel to introduce new product for construction sectorTata SteelBSE 0.01 % plans to introduce 'Ground Granulated BF Slag' (GGBS), a new value added product for the construction industry. The product promises to be a sustainable and cost effective material that will not only increase the compressive strength and durability of concrete but also reduce carbon foot-print significantly, Tata Steel said in a statement. Trial supplies of GGBS have been planned to be started in a month's time. Based on the market response, full scale commercial launch is likely to be in next three months. This product will be introduced in other major... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: Economic Times
|
IFC to lend up to $21M to Visakha Water Reclamation InfraInternational Financial Corporation (IFC), a division of the World Bank, has proposed to lend up to $21 million to Visakha Water Reclamation Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, which is a special purpose company set up to develop a 63 million litres per day (MLD) tertiary treatment plant in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. “The proposed IFC investment is a $10.5 million A loan for IFC’s own account, and a B loan/parallel loan for $10.5 million,” IFC said. The estimated cost of the project is around $30 million. Visakha Water will use the fund for supplying treated municipal waste for... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: VC Circle
|
10 units to get emission monitoring systemLaunching a pilot project in Gujarat, Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) is setting up Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) at 10 places in Pandesara, Sachin and Surat city.
These CEMS will be fitted in the chimneys of dying mill units and connected with GPCB office in Surat, its Control room at Gandhinagar and even with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) office in Delhi. The ten systems will be operational by January 1. In the second phase around 150 industrial units would be covered.
|
Growth in Key End-User Industries Widens Scope of Packaged Wastewater Treatment Market in India, Finds Frost & SullivanThe packaged wastewater systems are decentralized sewage treatment systems that are constructed in a fabrication plant and transported to a site for installation and commissioning. This market in India is a fragmented industry with no major market players and therefore it presents a huge opportunity for growth, especially in the industrial, commercial and residential segment. The challenges in this industry mainly lies in bureaucratic controls and the ineffective implementation of water discharge laws, although this is expected to improve with the entry of multinational companies (MNCs) in... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: Free Press Journal
|
Indian solar market: Forecasting a better 2014 after a lackluster yearMercom Capital Group, a consulting renewable energy firm, in a report said with 420 mw of projects missing commissioning dates, India is not likely to register any significant year-over-year installation growth for 2013, even as global solar market is forecasted to grow 20%. It has been a quiet year for the Indian solar sector, with installations at 900 mw so far this year and final numbers forecasted to be similar to last year. The guidelines and requests for selection have finally been published for Phase II Batch I, for 750 MW of PV projects. Unfortunately, India has... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: Economic Times
|
India to develop 60 Solar citiesIn a bid to increase the use of cleaner forms of energy, India on Thursday said that it would develop 60 solar cities across the country. The government has been implementing a programme on Development of Solar Cities under which a total of 60 cities/towns are proposed to be supported for development as Solar Green Cities, Indias minister of New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said. He said in principle approval has been accorded to 55 cities of which 45 cities have been sanctioned. "Out of these 45 Cities the Master Plans have been finalized for 36 cities, " the... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: Kuwait News Agency
|
Monsanto, Novozymes Form BioAg AllianceMonsanto and Novozymes have formed a long-term research and development alliance to commercialize microbial products intended to help farmers increase crop yields with less input. The firms say the BioAg Alliance will allow companies to leverage employees, technologies and commercial assets in the companies’ agricultural biologicals portfolios. Microbial products are a part of the agricultural biologicals industry, which Monsanto says represents about $2.3 billion in annual sales and has posted mid-teens sales growth each of the last several years. Microbial-based... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: Environmental Leader
|
TN electricity regulator to come out with rules on solar charges in 2 monthsThe Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) will come out with rules for the charges that solar power producers in the State might need to pay the State-owned electricity generation and distribution utility, in about two months. These charges relate to ‘wheeling and banking’, ‘open access’ and ‘cross-subsidy’. ‘Wheeling’ refers to solar power producers using the State’s transmission lines; ‘banking’ is a developer putting his electricity into the grid, in order to take it back at a time of his choice, within a specified... Read more.. |
Indian solar market: Forecasting a better 2014 after a lackluster yearMercom Capital Group, a consulting renewable energy firm, in a report said with 420 mw of projects missing commissioning dates, India is not likely to register any significant year-over-year installation growth for 2013, even as global solar market is forecasted to grow 20%. It has been a quiet year for the Indian solar sector, with installations at 900 mw so far this year and final numbers forecasted to be similar to last year. The guidelines and requests for selection have finally been published for Phase II Batch I, for 750 MW of PV projects. Unfortunately, India has... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: Economic Times
|
Tata Steel launches 'Ground Granulated BF Slag' for construction industryTata Steel has planned to introduce a new value added product "Ground Granulated BF Slag (GGBS)" for the construction industry. GGBS has been widely used in developed economies for years and of late was also getting used in major construction projects in India, a company release said. The product promised to be a sustainable and cost effective material, will not only increase compressive strength and durability of the concrete, but also significantly reduce the carbon foot-print. ... Read more..Date : Dec 12 Source: Economic Times
|
Green consumers alive and well, but living in emerging economiesTo those of us seemingly surrounded by climate burnout and indifference, it is perhaps comforting that important places in the world are experiencing their first big wave of green consumerism. This is the picture that emerges from GlobeScan's latest 20-country consumer poll that tracks climate concerns and low-carbon behavior. Results show low-carbon consumer behavior is surging in emerging economies such as China, India, Indonesia and Mexico. Asked what, if anything, they have done over the last year to reduce climate change, increasing numbers of consumers in these countries... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: Green Biz
|
IDFC may buy Orient Green unitIDFC Alternatives is discussing a large stake buy, possibly a controlling interest, in select wind power assets owned by Orient Green Power Company, a listed firm of the southern conglomerate Shriram Group. The transaction could be valued up to Rs 300 crore, said banking sources directly familiar with the matter. The deal may involve IDFC buying into fully owned subsidiaries of Orient Green Power, and not into the listed parent. Private equity arm of IDFC, managing assets worth $2.2 billion, has a significant presence in the wind power sector. The deal could be part of the... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: Times of India
|
Multiple legal challenges hurting Tamil Nadu's solar planMultiple legal challenges are hurting Tamil Nadu's ambitious plan of adding 3,000 megawatt of solar power by 2015, two state officials have said. Tamil Nadu, facing one of its worst-ever power crises, is betting big on solar. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's administration has drawn up an ambitious plan to add 3,000 megawatt through this route by 2015, 1,000 megawatt every year starting 2013. Toward this, the state had floated a 1,000 megawatt tender, India's single biggest tender, late last year. But the going has not been smooth. "The 1,000 megawatt tender is delayed... Read more.. Date : Dec 12 Source: Economic Times
|
Take debate on BT to farmers’ fields: Agriculture MinisterCalling upon the scientific community to focus on ‘non-transgenic’ biotechnology as it is possible to make definite progress in this sector because it is free from controversies unlike transgenic BT, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Tuesday stressed the need to allow farmers to have a say in whether they want BT. ‘Farmer is sovereign’ “Ultimately, the farmer is sovereign and he should have a say in any crucial issue that is related to him. It is our duty to support whatever the farmer wants and whatever benefits him. We must understand that agriculture is a... Read more.. Date : Dec 11 Source: The Hindu
|
The truth of India’s position at BaliThe outcome of the World Trade Organization (WTO) summit at Bali has been projected as a great victory for the Indian government by its spokespersons. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In exchange for a temporary reprieve on its food support programme, India has bartered away the bargaining chip of trade facilitation, which Western negotiators demanded. The wide divergence between the initial stance of trade minister Anand Sharma and his final position at Bali underlines how far India was pushed to the wall by Western negotiators. India’s readiness to give up on its initial... Read more.. Date : Dec 11 Source: Livemint
|
DSM continues to drive sustainable engineering plastics production in IndiaRoyal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, continues to deliver on its commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations. Following a dramatic reduction in water consumption at its engineering plastics site in Pune, India, announced earlier this year, the site will now meet 25% of its energy needs with renewable energy. In order to achieve this significant improvement, DSM has entered into an agreement with a local wind energy producer. Over the coming years, this share is expected to increase to 50%. The DSM site in Pune produces compounds of... Read more.. Date : Dec 11 Source: PlasteMart
|
Ballard Fuel Cell Systems to be Used in Telecom Continuous Power Pilot at Idea Cellular in IndiaBallard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP)(TSX: BLD) will be supplying ElectraGen(TM)-ME fuel cell systems for a pilot project in Idea Cellular's India telecom network. The fuel cell systems will be utilized in combination with solar technology to generate continuous power at five wireless base station sites. Funding for a feasibility study as well as the pilot project has been made available through a grant from the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). This project will support Idea Cellular's efforts to find clean energy solutions to replace the use of diesel generators... Read more.. Date : Dec 11 Source: Wall Street Journal
|
Ballast Water Treatment Market to Hit $3.14B in Revenues by 2023Revenues for the global ballast water treatment system market will skyrocket from $466.6 million in 2013 to $3.14 billion by 2023 at a compound annual growth rate of 21 percent, as new regulations drive sales of the technology, according an analysis by Frost & Sullivan. The Global Ballast Water Treatment Systems Market report says retrofits are expected to account for a substantial share of the global market during peak installation in 2018. Bulk carriers as well as oil and chemical tankers will be key users, generating cumulative revenues of $17.76 billion and $12.68 billion... Read more.. Date : Dec 10 Source: Environmental Leader
|
Energy audits by Tata Power save 18 million units of power in MumbaiTata Power has conducted more than 100 energy audits under 'My Mumbai, Green Mumbai' campaign, thereby ensuring that industrial and commercial consumers in the city save 18 million units of electricity. This is one of the big steps in energy conservation for city, Tata officials said on Friday. A senior official said, "Tata Power continues to undertake various initiatives to reinforce its philosophy on energy conservation. It has conducted special 'energy audits' targeting industrial and commercial consumers in the city and the exercise helped these customers save in excess of 18... Read more.. Date : Dec 10 Source: Times of India
|
Ming Yang Wins First 150-Megawatt Turbine Order in IndiaChina Ming Yang Wind Power Group Ltd. (MY) won a 150-megawatt order in India after becoming the first Chinese turbine maker to receive approval to sell machines in Asia’s second-biggest wind market as sales slow at home. The project by an undisclosed developer in Maharashtra state will use 1.5-megawatt turbines, Hiren Shah, chief executive officer of Ming Yang’s local unit, Global Wind Power Ltd., said in an interview from Mumbai. The machine was approved for sale by the government-run Centre for Wind Energy Technology in October. Chinese manufacturers such as Ming Yang,... Read more.. Date : Dec 10 Source: Bloomberg
|
