Sustainability Outlook Headlines

US commits to ambitious emissions cut by 2025

The US government formally committed itself on Tuesday to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025, according to media reports.

This goal set by US President Barack Obama during his visit to China last November is included in a document that Washington sent to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Tuesday, White House senior adviser Brian Deese said.

The goal will be put on the table at the UN climate conference in Paris later this year.

This emission cut target by the US signifies... Read more..

Date : Apr 1

Source: Zee News

Solar power opens gates for Huge Investments

Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA) in association with Business Standard organized the panel discussion on ‘Make in India through Solar Power Initiatives’ at VIA Hall.

Considering the huge rise in demand for power in the country, the Government is focusing on clean energy to meet the future requirements. Solar energy has gained prominence as an important source of producing clean energy from sunlight, which is available in abundance, As the Government begins to open up the solar power sector, the move would create immense opportunities to be explored by businessmen and... Read more..

Date : Apr 1

Source: Nagpur Today

Solar rooftops need financing, not sops

The subsidy mechanism is seen as highly ineffective due to limited availability of funds. A new rooftop policy based on net metering is on the anvil. The solar industry believes access to finance, not sops, will be key for rooftop installations to take off, as it remains unruffled by the government’s recent proposal to cut subsidy.

Despite the provision of subsidies, solar rooftop installations have performed way below targets. Of the 358 MW rooftop solar projects sanctioned by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), only 42 MW of rooftops have been installed so far.... Read more..

Date : Apr 1

Source: The Hindu

Winds of change or mere passing clouds

Coming as it did after the lukewarm response to the issues of Adlabs Entertainment Ltd. and Ortel Communications, the initial public offering of Inox Wind Ltd. was supposed to be a test of the market’s appetite in general. It has passed the test with flying colours, what with a subscription of 18 times.

And in doing so, it has also given a hint about how investors may be viewing the renewable energy sector. Is this enough clue for others in a sector which seems to hold so much promise and needs so much resource to follow in Inox’s footsteps?

“The lack of pure-... Read more..

Date : Apr 1

Source: The Hindu

First rural waste management plant inaugurated in Sirsa

The first village-level Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) in the district was commissioned at Ghoranwali village today. ADC Sharandeep Kaur Brar inaugurated the facility at the village which is one of the 36 villages of Sirsa where such plants are being set up this year at a cost of Rs 6 crore under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Brar said the water from bathrooms, kitchens and rains would be collected in a tank through channels which would pass through a three- pod system for treatment. The treated water can be used for irrigation and drinking for animals, she said.

Date : Apr 1

Source: Tribune India

City pollution check to be just a click away

People in 10 cities across India will soon be able to track the quality of air they breathe with the click of a button. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a national air quality index at a conference of state environment ministers here on April 6, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday.

Available on the ministry's website after the launch, the colour-coded index indicating air quality will provide a real-time data detailing the level of pollution in a given city.

Launched in phases, the first leg would cover only 10 cities with plans of... Read more..

Date : Apr 1

Source: Zee News

How Debartha, Ritwik and Jayant are revolutionizing waste collection systems in India\

“Being good means nothing unless you are willing to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done,” said an angry Abraham Setrakian in the US vampire apocalypse show ‘The Strain.’ And while our planet may not be under threat from vampires, the danger to its environment from the waste-dumping activities of human beings is not just real, it is critical.

When Debartha Banerjee, Jayanth Nataraju and Ritvik Rao set out to change the way waste is handled in India, they had to battle not just ignorance but also apathy. Armed with degrees in engineering and masters in social... Read more..

Date : Apr 1

Source: Your Story

Sidbi, Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau plan to inject Rs 100 crore in clean tech start-ups

Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi) and German development bank Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW) plan to allocate over Rs 100 crore to clean technology-focused start-ups in 2015-16 as both agencies look to ramp up their support for early-stage ventures operating in this sector.

The allocations will be structured in the form of debt and mezzanine finance rather than pure equity and will focus on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) involved specifically in the supply side of clean technology including renewable energy, energy efficiency, buildings,... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Economic Times

Govt in talks with lending agencies to raise $3 bn for solar power projects

India is in talks with more than half-a-dozen leading multilateral funding and lending agencies to try and raise at least $3 billion for solar power projects that will help meet its ambitious renewable energy target, cut the oil import bill and bolster the nation’s position at climate change talks later this year.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is in talks with lenders such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, Germany-based KfW Bankengruppe, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Live Mint

India Eyes Dollar Power To Cut Solar Tariff

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has asked all Indian states to come up with their own state level policy and targets, as part of the country’s efforts to increase its solar power installations.

In a written reply to a question in India’s parliament, the minister for power, coal, and renewable energy, Piyush Goyal, stated that 14 states have so far issued solar policies, and that a draft policy has been sent to all states to offer guidance on how to meet clean energy targets.Make in India logo with a backdrop of solar panels (Source)

In related... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Clean Technica

Delhi govt to follow Singapore model of water re-use

Taking a cue from Singapore, Delhi Government is planning an ambitious project to provide recycled water to clusters of 100-200 houses, the supply for which is expected to cost less than development charge for sewage system.

Interacting with media at Padma awards function at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the pilot project will be implemented within a month and the cost of the project is being worked out.

Delhi Jal Board Chief had gone to Singapore to study the system. Singapore also lives on recycled water as... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Indian Express

India makes first crude oil purchase for strategic reserve

India has bought the first oil for its strategic petroleum reserve (SPR), trade sources said on Monday, marking the start of a round of purchases by the world's fourth-biggest oil consumer to build up emergency stockpiles. Oil prices have almost halved in the past year due to excess global production, leaving traders looking for any signs of new demand to help absorb the surplus.

The sources said Indian Oil Corp (IOC) bought a 2 million barrel cargo of Iraqi crude from Chinese trader Unipec, which will load in May for shipping to the first stage of India's SPR on the country'... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Economic Times

Modi Tops Obama Solar Pledge With First India Green Dollar Bond

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was winning headlines garnering U.S. support for a $160 billion solar-power push, the bond market was putting together more concrete funding plans.

Export-Import Bank of India, which has lent to solar and wind programs, sold the country’s first green dollar bonds in a $500 million issue of 2.75 percent notes March 24. India’s issuance of overseas securities meeting environmental criteria overseen by the Zurich-based International Capital Market Association could surge to as much as $1.5 billion annually in the next two to five years,... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Bloomberg

Precision Agriculture Could Start A Green Revolution In India

Bhau Kadam (name changed) is a small sugarcane farmer in western Maharashtra. He and his family own about 3 hectares of land. Kadam has two sons who are both graduates and work in Pune. When I asked him why he did not make his sons farmers, he said that farming is hard work, is non-remunerative and it is difficult to get labour. Besides he also thinks that a farmer's son is a non- marriageable commodity and that his sons have a better life in Pune.

Kadam is getting on with age and is thinking of selling his land to the highest bidder. He may even go and stay with his sons in... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Huffington Post

China plans to build huge space solar power station

China plans to build a huge solar power station 36,000 kilometres above the ground in an attempt to battle smog, cut greenhouse gases and solve energy crisis, much on the lines of an idea first floated in 1941 by fiction writer Isaac Asimov, state media reported today. If realised, it will surpass the scale of the Apollo project and the International Space Station, and be the largest-ever space project.

The power station would be a super spacecraft on a geosynchronous orbit equipped with huge solar panels. The electricity generated would be converted to microwaves or lasers... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Economic Times

Power-hungry states to drive smart grid business

With states gearing up to modernise power distribution, the transmission infrastructure is set to undergo an overhaul. At least five major states with highest power consumption in the country are working with private companies to strengthen their transmission and distribution involving smart technology.

Conductors and energy meters have registered a tremendous growth in their turnover with 44.9 per cent and 28.2 per cent, respectively, over the past year, according to the annual report by the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers' Association (IEEMA). The growth of... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Business Standard

Bosch embraces 'Make in India' with 'Design in India'

In tandem with the Centre’s Make in India campaign, Germany-based automobile components manufacturer Robert Bosch on Monday unveiled a series of products developed at Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Limited (RBEI) in Bengaluru that look to address various day-to-day challenges using smart applications.

The company has focused on Internet of things and mobility, automotive technology, data analytics, road safety and energy while developing the new products.

Among the various solutions showcased include an IoT Gateway-Pollution Monitoring Sensing... Read more..

Date : Mar 31

Source: Business Standard

The French connection to opportunities in India’s nascent water sector

Investor interest in India’s water sector, which has traditionally been way down in the pecking order of sectors drawing foreign investments, is seeing a sharp uptick, thanks largely to the NDA government’s two flagship schemes – the Swachh Bharat campaign and the Clean Ganga initiative. The French seem to be leading the charge, with two of the world’s biggest water utilities – the euro 29.4 billion Veolia Environnement SA and the euro 14.3 billion Suez Environnement Co – stepping up their India play.

“The Ganga Action Plan appears to be a promising campaign in terms of... Read more..

Date : Mar 30

Source: Indian Express

Government to set up bio gas, coal-bed methane filling plants soon

The Commerce and Industry Ministry has given permission to set up 16 bio gas-based and three coal-bed methane-based natural gas filling plants to encourage use of alternative fuel in the country.

Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said that Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO), which is under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), is closely associated with the developmental activities for introduction of hydrogen as an alternative fuel.

She said that PESO has granted permission to Indian Oil CorporationBSE... Read more..

Date : Mar 30

Source: Economic Times

No pseudo advertising for Municipal bonds; disclosures must: Sebi

Municipalities proposing to issue and list municipal bonds can't indulge in pseudo advertising under the garb of 'promotional or educational' activities at time of raising funds from investors and they will have to follow a strict disclosure regime.

The draft norms finalised by markets regulator Sebi, which is in the process of notifying the final regulations, also provide for a number of strict safeguards in the interest of investors, while some of the disclosure requirements are even tougher than in developed markets like the US.

The new norms are expected... Read more..

Date : Mar 30

Source: Economic Times

India Said to Mull Lowering Gas Price 10% as Energy Costs Plunge

India will probably cut the price of locally produced natural gas starting next month as global energy costs slump, a government official said. Prices will probably be lowered to $5.02 per million Btu, the official told reporters Thursday in New Delhi, asking not to be identified because of rules. The price is based on the net heat value of gas and will be lower at a gross value, he said, declining to give a specific figure.

Domestic prices, due for review April 1, were boosted by one-third to $5.6 per million Btu on Nov. 1. The government continues to work on a plan to allow... Read more..

Date : Mar 30

Source: Bloomberg

Make India energy sufficient, cut imports: PM Modi

Pitching for an energy sufficient India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the country should cut oil imports by 10 per cent by 2022, while exhorting domestic firms to become global players and the well off to give up subsidised cooking gas connections.

Speaking at the first 'Urja Sangam' conference, he said plans are afoot to provide piped gas connection to 1 crore households in the next four years from 27 lakh presently.

Modi said if imports, which account for a staggering 77 per cent of the demand, are cut by 10 per cent by 2022, the country to look to... Read more..

Date : Mar 30

Source: Economic Times

Global warming deal lies in Delhi not Paris as debate heats up

Deal to reduce emissions and limit global warming depends on developing world and business not Western academics

Boris Johnson was in Paris this week with the leaders of 30 other major European cities to agree on a raft of measures intended to promote green policies and help to limit climate change. The talks come ahead of a key international summit due to take place in the French capital later this year and which aims to contain global warming. However, with world energy demand forecast to increase by 37pc through to 2040 and people in emerging economies continuing... Read more..

Date : Mar 30

Source: The Telegraph

Cleantech Solutions Startup Urjas Raises Funding

Mumbai based Urjas Energy Solutions, a cleantech solutions provider focussed on solar photovoltaic & biomass technologies, has raised $100K from angels including Anirudhha Malpani (MD, Malpani Infertility Clinic) and Solidarity Investment Advisors.

The funding will be used to scale up its operations, getting in more people and producing pilot samples. It plans to expand its team to 15-20 people from current eight.

Founded in 2012 by Pradeepkumar Podal, Devendra Pareek and Ashwinikumar Shejwalkar, Urjas is incubated at IIT-Bombay's Society for Innovation and... Read more..

Date : Mar 30

Source: Deal Curry

India set to make cine history with 1st carbon-neutral film

Film director Biswajeet Bora, from Assam, and producer Maya Kholie, from Arunachal Pradesh, are yet to make their mark in Bollywood. But they are set to create cinematic history — by making India’s first carbon-neutral film. The film, Aisa Yeh Jahaan, is likely to be released in May.

Carbon neutrality means the action taken by individuals, businesses and organisations to achieve a zero carbon footprint. It entails removing as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they produce while going about their work.

A carbon-neutral film compensates for the carbon... Read more..

Date : Mar 30

Source: Hindustan Times