Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Modi’s Nepal visit brings focus on China-India energy rivalry

Energy will be high on the agenda when India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Nepal on Sunday, eager to claw back lost ground in the race for resources with China. A vast network of fast-flowing rivers through the Himalayas leaves huge untapped hydropower resources at Nepal’s disposal, and New Delhi has spent years encouraging Indian investment with an eye on the country’s water resources. However, proposals to develop joint ventures (JVs) between India and Nepal have stalled due to disagreements over perceived threats to Nepalese sovereignty, allowing rival China to step into the... Read more..

Pune’s rivers, nullahs running out of breath

Pune is a city with water bodies which have minimal oxygen in them. This is mainly due to the untreated water released in the rivers and nullahs. The latest environment status report (ESR) published by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has mentioned that the quality of water in the rivers is so bad that it can be used only for agriculture or industrial purpose.

Interestingly, in last year's ESR, the civic body had claimed that the quality of water was not as polluted as to harm the biodiversity in Mula-Mutha river.

The ESR tabled in the general body meeting of PMC on Monday... Read more..

Indian PV producer Vikram Solar opens U.S. sales office to launch solar modules in North and South America

Vikram Solar (Kolkata, India), tier-1 producer of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, executes its latest global expansion by opening an international office in Boulder, Colorado, US.

New Head of Business Development Americas is Ken Oatman, a well-known executive in the American solar industry. Prior to joining Vikram Solar in July 2014, he was employed by ET Solar Group as Sales Manager, and has over six years of experience in various positions along the solar supply chain.

Vikram Solar’s initial products for the American market are 60-cell, 1000 VDC 250 and 255 polycrystalline... Read more..

India's largest solar power plant planned in Madhya Pradesh

Plans are afoot to set up the country's largest ultra mega solar power plant (UMSPP) in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district, a senior official said today. 

The plant, to produce 700 MW of electricity, would require an investment of Rs 4,000 crore, State's Additional Chief Secretary for New and Renewable Energy SR Mohanty told PTI. 

The electricity from the plant would be available at Rs 5.40 paise per unit, which would be the lowest in the country, Mohanty said. 

The state government would set up the plant as a joint venture with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy,... Read more..

Power for all in Andhra Pradesh from October 2

Andhra Pradesh is moving towards achieving zero power cuts. AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that his government will implement the ‘power for all’ programme in the state from October 2. Mr Naidu on Thursday held a meeting with the energy department officials and reviewed the power position in the state. He said that the power deficit has been brought down from 22 million units per day to zero during the first week of June 2014. The government will ensure 24x7 power supply to all domestic, commercial and industrial consumers from October 2 and farmers will be provided nine hours... Read more..

Draft manual in place, citizens may have to start paying for waste

If the central government has its way, citizens may have to start paying for the waste generated in households.

The government of India has drafted a manual for municipal solid waste management to help municipal bodies to manage their waste. According to the 74th amendment to the Constitution, urban local bodies can impose taxes and raise funds for public health, sanitation, conservancy and solid waste management.

The draft manual states that it was advisable to levy a dedicated tariff for solid waste services. The government has asked local bodies to consider basic... Read more..

Venture capitalist funding in smart grid companies slips to $81 mn in Q2

Global venture capital funding into smart grid companies came in at $81 million through 13 deals in April-June quarter of this year, logging a decline of 19.80 per cent over the previous quarter, a report said.

According to global clean energy communications and consulting firm Mercom, smart grid companies raised $101 million by way of 21 deals in the first quarter of this year.

The Indian government is expected to launch a national smart grid mission and monitor the implementation of policies and programs envisioned in the smart grid road map for the power sector.

The... Read more..

BHEL to Set up 10MW Solar Power Plant in Mandya

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has informed BSE on Monday about its plan to set up a 10MW solar power plant in Shivanasamudram, Belakavadi village in Mandya district of Karnataka.

The company had already fixed a 5MW power solar power plant at Shivanasamudram in the past.

Rs. 68 crore will be invested to set up the plant for the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL). The company stated in a press release that the contract to set up the grid connected solar power plant has been approved, including operation and management of the plant for three years.

BHEL... Read more..

Indo-US group to work very closely on climate change: Javadekar

Terming the Indo-US Joint Working Group as an "important platform" for addressing environment and sustainable development concerns, Environment minister Prakash Javadekar Wednesday said the group needs to work "very closely" and develop common understanding and balanced package for post 2020 period. 

Javadekar today met the US Special Envoy Climate Change Todd Stern and discussed a sequence of events in the run up to the Conference of the Parties (CoP) in Paris next year which was followed by the first meeting of the India US Joint Working Group on combating Climate Change. 

... Read more..

GE to invest in India’s wind industry as part of a $1bn renewable energy plan

 General Electric (GE) is set to invest in three Atria Power wind projects that are currently under construction, as part of its $1bn (£591m) commitment to expanding its renewable energy portfolio.

The three projects are set to produce a combined annual capacity of 126 megawatt (MW), and are spread across two locations. The first is a 25.6 MW project in the Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh, located on India’s south eastern coast line. The second, containing two projects, both 50 MW, are located in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh – in the heart of India.

Raghuveer... Read more..

Narendra Modi outlines plan for ‘second green revolution’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday mooted a more broad-based and inclusive approach for a ‘second green revolution’ aimed at augmenting grain production in a sustainable manner. Pitching for greater use of research, Modi gave the slogan ‘Lab-to-Land’, saying that farmers should be able to enhance production to increase their income and feed the country as well as the world.

“We clearly need a second green revolution that is more broad-based, more inclusive and more sustainable; we need to produce more without depleting our natural resources any further,” Modi said at the 86th... Read more..