Sustainability Outlook Headlines

500 acres allocated for solar project

Giving fillip to its efforts to harness solar energy to meet the ever growing demand for power, the State government has allotted 500 acres of land at P. Kothapalli village in NP Kunta mandal of Anantapur district for setting up a solar power project with 100 MW capacity, according to a government order.

The land will be allocated to the firms interested in setting up solar power units through the new renewable energy development corporation of Andhra Pradesh lease, not extending beyond 33 years, with the rent fixed at 10 per cent of the market value of land assessed at Rs. 2 lakh... Read more..

Meeting water and energy challenges in agri-food sector with technology

Worldwide, the overall growth in demand for agricultural products will require a 140% increase (pdf) in the supply of water over the next 20 years compared to the past 20 years. While the bulk of this demand will be from irrigation, food processing plants can also be water intensive. So, any technological innovations in the industry that save water are welcome.

One such innovation is by Mars Petcare (pdf), which has developed a recirculation system that reduces the potable water used for cooling in its pet food production process by 95%. Wastewater is also down by 95% and gas by 35... Read more..

Whither India: Modi faces climate choice as 2015 deal nears

India’s new government stands accused of scrapping policies aimed at protecting the environment, two months ahead of a major UN climate summit to be hosted by Ban Ki-moon.

A series of documents outlining the relaxed rules were released by the Ministry for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, according to Delhi-based journalist Nitin Sethi.

The move opens the door for coal companies to expand exploratory work in sensitive environments, reduces the power of local tribal assemblies and lifts a ban on industries in polluted areas.

Perhaps the most eye-catching move is... Read more..

There will be water wars soon: HC on depleting water level in Delhi

The Delhi High Court Wednesday said there would be "water wars" soon given the rate water sources is depleting and asked the city government whether it has any policy in place for implementing rain-water harvesting measures. 

"Is there a policy for rain-water harvesting? Ground water levels are going down. There are carcinogenic materials in the ground which could contaminate water reservoirs. At this rate, we will have water wars soon,"a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul said. 

It also ticked off Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for covering up various ancient... Read more..

Pan Global, Corp. Comments on Industry Report That the India Renewable Energy Market Opportunity Is Worth USD $10.5 Billion by 2017

Pan Global, Corp. (OTCQB: PGLO) (the "Company") today discusses a recent industry article featured in The Business Standad, India's leading business daily, about the current and potential renewable energy market in India.

The Business Standard June 5, 2014 article reports that as of March 31, 2014, India's installed capacity of renewable energy has touched 32,269.6 Mw, or 12.95% of the total potential available in the country. Further, the article reports that India's Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a target of achieving overall energy installed capacity of 41,... Read more..

'Polluting industrial sites putting Delhites at health risk'

Polluting industrial sites dot the entire city and are putting Delhites at a huge health risk, said a study report Tuesday. 

Eighteen sites have been identified as potential 'hotspots' in Delhi that are regularly contaminating the city's environment by releasing toxic pollutants and thereby creating health concerns, said the report titled "On the edge" which was released by Toxics Link, a environmental research and advocacy organisation states. 

The sites in Delhi, which spread from Samaypur and Badli in the north to Mayapuri and Okhla in the south; and Nazafgarh in the... Read more..

Purulia to get 250-MW solar project soon, says WB Minister

West Bengal Power and Non-Conventional Energy Sources Minister Manish Gupta on Tuesday said his government plans to set up a 250-MW solar project in Purulia at an estimated cost of Rs 1,400 crore. 

“The largest solar project in the country will feed the 900-MW Purulia pumped-storage project of the state electricity distribution utility,” said  Gupta during Energy Conclave 2014, a flagship event organized by CII Eastern Region in Kolkata on Tuesday. 

Around 40% funds are going to be sourced from the Union Government clean energy fund, and the rest from other sources.

... Read more..

New energy-rich sorghum offers ethanol without the corn

As scientists around the world research biomass feedstocks — trees, shrubs and grasses that are designed to produce energy — a California startup called NexSteppe is betting that fast-growing, drought-resistant sorghum will emerge as a crop to sustainably fuel cars, trucks and power plants.

Sorghum, a millenia-old cereal grain, today feeds animals and people. It is turned into flour, syrups and beer, and used in gluten-free products. In Asia, sorghum is made into couscous, and across Africa, it’s consumed as a porridge.

Last year, though, NexSteppe introduced two new brands... Read more..

THE OTHER ILLITERACY - The Indian road to unsustainability

In her recent book, Green Wars, the environmental journalist Bahar Dutt, writes: “The editor of a leading media house, everytime I pitched a green story, would invariably complain: ‘Environmentalism is stalling growth; all I am interested in is double-digit growth for this country.’”

The idea that environmental protection and economic progress are at odds is widely held among India’s elite. It is shared by newspaper editors, economists, businessmen, and, not least, politicians. The free-market thinker, Gurcharan Das, has written with disdain about what he calls “the fundamentalist... Read more..

UP battles power crunch as Anpara Thermal Power Plant shuts

Uttar Pradesh is facing a severe electricity crisis due to multiple factors, forcing the state power utility has started cutting power.

The crisis has been compounded by rising energy demands due to sultry weather, tripping of thermal power units, technical snags and closure of units due to coal shortage. Besides, coal stock at thermal power stations has become damp in the sporadic rainfall, affecting combustibility and, therefore, power generation.

The crisis deepened on Sunday with the closure of one more unit at the Anpara thermal power project, due to a snag, prompting... Read more..

Girnar Food to cut use of plant protection chemicals fully

Mumbai-based Girnar Food and Beverages will reduce its usage of plant protection chemicals totally by 2020. This is part of recent initiatives taken by firms producing and marketing tea.

Firms such as Hindustan Unilever and Tata Global Beverages have initiated plans to evaluate environmental friendly methods for tea crop protection in the country. Both the companies have announced their plans to produce all agricultural raw materials through sustainable crop practices by 2020.

“Girnar welcomes and supports initiatives of public interest and for long-term benefits of consumers... Read more..

Rajasthan Bets Big On Mega Solar Plants

New Solar Policy Draft Enters Uncharted Territory; Thrust On Mega Projects Of 500 MW And Above With Customised Packages; Such Projects Are Still Untested In The Country With The Largest Being 130-MW Plant In MP; Withdrawing Sops For Smaller Projects Is A Gamble; Past Experience Shows Solar Park Concept Has Failed To Remove Hurdles For Developers; New Plan To Empower RREC For Land Allotments In Parks Is A Welcome Move

Moving the needle on the budget announcements to usher in a new solar policy, the state government circulated a draft proposal seeking an extensive overhaul of the... Read more..