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Sustainability Outlook Headlines
Wind: Generating little interestA couple of years ago, the wind power sector looked very robust, with 3,200 MW of capacity added in 2011-12 alone. Last year, the US-based Lawrence-Berkeley National Laboratory said that India’s wind power potential is about 2 million MW— ten times its total installed power capacity. Over the years, as many as 26 wind turbine manufacturers had come up in the country. So, it looked as though a rural industry would develop, relying on local manufacturing and employment. Today, however, the wind industry is down in the dumps. In 2012-13, installations fell to 1,700 MW, and the shrinking... Read more.. Date : Sep 1 Source: Business Line
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Solar: Not living up to the promiseAfter a burst of development that saw 1,800 MW of solar photo-voltaic capacity being built, things have slowed down in the solar power sector. Gujarat’s feed-in tariff programme kick-started the solar movement, creating over 800 MW of capacity. Under the Government of India’s National Solar Mission, 627 MW of capacity has come up, with another 30 MW or so likely to be commissioned shortly. All this happened in just three years. But things are now at a standstill. Phase II of the National Solar Mission, long overdue, is nowhere in sight. Several States, including Odisha... Read more.. Date : Sep 1 Source: Business Line
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India Renewable-Credit Trades Plunge as Enforcement LagsRenewable-energy credit trading in India slumped to a record-low this month as states failed to enforce rules requiring utilities, steelmakers and mining companies to buy the allowances. Bids to sell wind, hydro and biomass credits outnumbered bids to buy them more than 70-fold. That meant only 40,889 trades were cleared, or 1.4 percent of the credits available for sale, the lowest percentage since trading began in 2011, according to data from trader REConnect Energy Solutions Pvt. The government requires companies such as Coal India Ltd. (COAL) and Tata Power Co. (TPWR) to... Read more.. Date : Aug 30 Source: Bloomberg
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Gireesh Pradhan expected to take over as CERC chairmanGireesh Pradhan, a former secretary at the ministry of new and renewable energy, is expected to take over as the next chairman of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, India’s apex power sector regulator. The power ministry has approved Pradhan’s name and his appointment is now to be approved by the appointments committee of the cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “The ministry has approved his name. It will now go before the ACC,” a government official said, requesting anonymity. Pradhan, a 1977 batch Maharashtra cadre former Indian... Read more.. Date : Aug 30 Source: Livemint
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World Bank approves $120m loan for Olam to expand small-scale farmingWorld Bank Group, and Olam International, a global integrated supply chain manager and processor of agricultural products, have signed a five-year $120 million loan agreement to finance upgrades and expansion of five food processing facilities in Nigeria and India. In a statement by the bank, the projects will benefit local communities by generating rural employment and creating new market opportunities for smallholder farmers to sell their crops.
The World Bank and Olams partnership will support the following facilities :Hemarus sugar milling, Kolhapur, India (... Read more.. Date : Aug 30 Source: National Mirror
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India must stop viewing disasters as acts of God – reportIndia must stop viewing natural disasters as stand-alone acts of God or nature and recognise that its development policies are increasing the number of deaths and amount of devastation caused by such calamities, a new report says. Written by academics, aid workers, scientists and analysts, the "India Disasters Report" says that development works carried out in pursuit of greater economic growth, such as the construction of dams and unsafe buildings, are putting people and the environment at greater risk when a disaster strikes.... Read more.. |
'Punjab govt part of MoU for coal-based projects worth $5 bn'A ceremony for the signing of MoUs between federal, Punjab governments, China National Power and Q-Investment Qatar for over 6,600 MW coal-based projects worth more than $5 billion was held on Thursday. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Water and Power Minister Kh Asif, provincial ministers, various federal and provincial secretaries as well as senior officers concerned were present. Federal Secretary Water & Power Saifullah Chattha, Punjab Energy Secretary Usman Bajwa, CEO of Q-... Read more.. |
Global Warming Slowdown Data Sought in UN Climate ReportU.S. and European Union envoys are seeking more clarity from the United Nations on a slowdown in global warming that climate skeptics have cited as a reason not to “panic” about environmental changes, leaked documents show.
They’re requesting that more details on the so-called “hiatus” be included in a key document set to be debated at a UN conference next month that will summarize the latest scientific conclusions on climate change.
Including more information on the hiatus will help officials counter arguments that the slowing pace of global warming in... Read more.. Date : Aug 30 Source: Bloomberg
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World Water Week Calls Attention to Growing Need for Clean WaterThe planet’s entire supply of freshwater that can be used by humans and ecosystems amounts to approximately 200,000 cubed kilometers, or less than one percent of all freshwater resources. And, unfortunately, humans are using these limited resources faster than they can be replenished. According to the U.N. World Water Development Report (WWDR), the resources of approximately three and a half Earths would be required to maintain the consumption habits of the average European or North American to keep up with population growth. The... Read more.. |
Power Grid to invest Rs 210 cr for strengthening networkState-owned Power Grid Corp will invest close to Rs 210 crore for strengthening transmission network over the next two years. The Board has approved Rs 135.65 crore for procurement and installation of transformers, and Rs 73.48 crore for strengthening the eastern region infrastructure in the next two years, Power Grid said in a filing to the stock exchange. The decisions were taken yesterday. The government plans to speed up the process of raising up to Rs 3,000 crore by selling 5 per cent stake in Power Grid Corp. The state-owned firm is also looking to raise fresh equity... Read more.. Date : Aug 29 Source: Economic Times
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MNRE to develop IREEED with US DoE - CIOLThe Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India and the US Department of Energy (DoE) have collaborated under the India-US Energy Dialogue to develop an online Indian Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy Database (IREEED) that aims at disseminating information on the renewable energy and energy efficiency policy and regulatory framework in India. IREEED provides succinct summaries in a clear and simple format of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies, regulations... Read more.. |
NCR set to become the world's dumping capital for e-waste: AssochamAmid the government's all efforts to make Delhi the world-class city in the world, the fact is that today the national capital region (NCR) is set to become the world's dumping capital. The latest study shows that in terms of e-waste, it would generate an estimated 50,000 tonnes of this per annum by 2015. According to a study conducted by Assocham, at present, Delhi generates around 30,000 tonnes of e-waste per annum, said the "E-waste in India by 2015" study conducted by Assocham. Over 1.5 lakh... Read more.. |
Clean technology startups help large cos cut down power use and expensesSeveral clean technology startups offering innovative ways to conserve electricity are signing marquee clients who are eager to trim their power bills and, in turn, receiving greater attention from venture capitalists. "Everybody wants to cut down energy costs today," said Sekhar Nori, founder of five-year-old startup Skyshade Technologies, which has bagged a slew of large customers, including Mahindra & Mahindra, PepsiCo, ITC and TVS. The Hyderabad-based company's Light Pipe takes sunlight... Read more.. |
India's Gujarat waives renewable targets for utilitiesRegulators in India’s Gujarat state waived clean-energy targets for power distribution companies in a blow to the country’s market for trading renewable credits. State utility Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd. and Ahmedabad-based Torrent Power Ltd. (TPW) had petitioned against a rule requiring them last fiscal year to source 7 percent of their power from renewable sources or buy credits over the power exchanges to fulfill the obligation. Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission sided with the... Read more.. |
India may overtake US in wind installations for first timeIndia may install more wind capacity than the US this year for the first time as a tax-benefit window extending to 2015 prompts US developers to delay setting up new projects. India is forecast to put up 2,050 megawatts of wind capacity in 2013, compared with the 2,000 MW expected in the US, according to the latest figures from Bloomberg New Energy Finance due to be published next week. “The decline in the US is mainly due to the complacency of the project developers, which can claim federal tax benefits through 2015,” said Shantanu Jaiswal, a New Delhi-based BNEF wind... Read more.. Date : Aug 28 Source: Livemint
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Nepal should strengthen cooperation with India on hydropower: ExpertsEnergy-starved Nepal needs to further strengthen cooperation with India for harnessing its abundant hydro-power potential that would benefit both the countries, experts said on Wednesday. The remark was made by energy experts, government officials and politicians during a panel discussion as part of a two-day Power Summit 2013 that concluded here today. They stressed on the need to hasten the pace of power projects being constructed by Nepalese and Indian companies and speed up completion of the cross border transmission lines along the Nepal-India border. Former... Read more.. Date : Aug 28 Source: Economic Times
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MNRE: Indian solar PV plant performance falls again in July 2013Summer monsoons continue to affect the output of India's solar photovoltaic (PV) plants, as indicated by July 2013 performance data released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Capacity utilization factors (CUFs) for plants commissioned under the both batches in the first phase of the nation's National Solar Mission (NSM) fell to 14.8-23.1% during July 2013. CUFs for plants commissioned under the Rooftop PV and Small Solar Power Generation Program (RPSSGP) program fell to 6.3-19.5%. ... Read more.. Date : Aug 28 Source: Solarserver
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Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation eyes wind energy to cut power billAfter installing solar panels atop some of the main zonal offices of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the Sardar Patel Stadium in Navrangpura, the AMC is now turning to wind energy. With the AMC incurring electricity bills worth close to Rs 150 crore per annum, huge savings can be made by harnessing the wind and even biogas generated from the corporation's sewage treatment plants. The AMC is planning to devise a policy to ease the use and transmission of power produced by renewable sources. The civic body will also apply for exemption from electricity duty. The AMC... Read more.. Date : Aug 28 Source: Times of India
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Green Earth Innovations Technology to extract fuel from plastic ready for commercialisationIndore based Green Earth Innovations (GEI), today staked claim that its Indian patented technology for extraction of fuel from plastic waste, is ready for commercialisation. "We have reversed the chemistry to extract fuel from plastics. Plastic is by-product of hydrocarbon, our innovation has reversed the process-thermal de-polymerisation-to manufacture oil from plastic using a catalyst," claimed Manoj Sharma, promoter of the company. "The Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun has certified our technology, and we have been granted an Indian patent for it," he claimed.... Read more.. Date : Aug 28 Source: Economic Times
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States find tariffs for renewable sector too highWith the rupee sliding and solar photo voltaic module prices firming up, most States in the country are finding higher costs for renewable energy tough to handle. This gets further problematic when the financial health of State utilities is factored into. According a report prepared by Mercom Consulting, the rupee fall and prices of modules firming up in the past few months has added to the woes of the sector, which is beset with difficulties in terms of gathering pace. India added about 622 MW in the first seven months this year. In the last three months only 73 MW... Read more.. Date : Aug 28 Source: Business Line
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NTPC bets big on green energyIndia's largest state-run power producer National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) - which plans to provide green power - has initiated evaluation of conventional and alternate sources of energy to promote clean energy. NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Arup Roy Choudhury said the company has formulated its business plan of capacity addition of about 1,000 MW through renewable resources by 2017. "We have already commissioned 10 MW Solar PV Projects and another 85 MW Solar PV while 8 MW small... Read more.. |
Government sets a target of 259 million tonnes of foodgrains of production in 2013-14Government has set a target of 259 million tonnes of foodgrains production in the year 2013-14. Government of India is implementing various crop development programmes/schemes through State Governments for achieving production targets of various crops. Programmes like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Integrated Scheme on Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize (ISOPOM), Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI), Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion... Read more.. |
Green tribunal puts curbs on Uttarakhand construction activitiesThe national green tribunal on Monday prohibited any construction on the beds and banks of rivers and their main tributaries flowing in Uttarakhand. In June, the Himalayan state was hit by the worst flooding in its recent history. The order, passed by a bench headed by chairperson Swatanter Kumar, also restrained construction along the 100km stretch of the river Bhagirathi, which has been declared an eco-sensitive zone. “We hereby prohibit any new construction in the entire eco-sensitive zone and... Read more.. |
Focus on biodiversity to achieve sustainable growth: MontekPlanning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia Monday said biodiversity should be included as a significant topic in the policy formation to achieve sustainable growth. Biodiversity should be included among the monitoring indicators, introduced in the 12th Five Year Plan, to achieve sustainable growth and development, he said. He was delivering the birth centenary lecture on Prof A Abraham, the founder director of Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, at Palode near here. "It is unfair to focus only on growth. In the 12th plan... Read more.. Date : Aug 27 Source: Zee News
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Karnataka receives the lowest bid at INR 5.51/kWh for solar energy in IndiaThe state of Karnataka has received the lowest ever bid in India for INR 5.51/kWh as it opened the financial bids for an allocation of a capacity of 130 MW of solar energy, Bridge to India reported. Karnataka is expected to issue Letters of Interest (LoIs) to 16 developers for this allocation. The lowest successful bid is of INR 5.51/kWh by Sun Pharma and the highest successful bid is of INR 8.05/kWh by Welspun Solar and Heidelberg. The average bid across all successful bids is INR 7.06/kWh, which is workable for most developers, the report said. Tamil Nadu had quoted... Read more.. Date : Aug 26 Source: Green Tech Lead
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