Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Global automakers split on 'green car' strategy

 In a contest reminiscent of the scrap for pre-eminence in the home video market, which pitched Betamax against VHS, huge auto firms are going all out for very different technologies.

Toyota, which is ending a battery deal with US electric car leader Tesla, is concentrating on mass-producing a fuel-cell vehicle, along with smaller rival Honda.

Nissan, by contrast, has bet the farm on all-electrics, unveiling its second model this month -- despite weak sales of its flagship Leaf -- and is pushing the technology in China, where officials are scrambling to contain an air... Read more..

Suzlon gets approval for Rajasthan wind power project

 Suzlon has received the Notice to Proceed (NTP) from CLP India for a 100.8 MW wind power project at Tejuva in Rajasthan. It comprises 48 units of its S97- 2.1 MW wind turbines featuring Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) technology.

This is the latest addition to Suzlon’s wind portfolio of over 8,000 MW projects across eight states.

CLP is one of the largest foreign investors in the Indian power sector, and the completion of this project will boost CLP India’s wind power portfolio to close to 1000 MW, Suzlon said in a statement.

Rajiv Mishra, Managing Director, CLP... Read more..

NTPC's 50 MW solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh commissioned

 NTPC's solar power project in Madhya Pradesh, the biggest in the country using domestically manufactured modules, has been commissioned. 

The 50 MW plant in Rajgarh, which was set up by Tata Power Solar for state-owned NTPC, will be used to supply electricity to about 90,000 households a year. The photovoltaic project for NTPC was commissioned "as part of their mandate to expand their renewable energy portfolio to 1,000 MW by 2017," Tata Power Solar said in a statement. 

The Rajgarh plant is the largest Indian solar project to use domestically manufactured solar modules,... Read more..

Solar Basket to open 150 stores in India

 Solar Basket, a high-tech brand specialised in providing complete services for solar power, is aiming to open 150 stores in India this year. The cities in the pipeline are Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guwahati, Itanagar, Chandigarh, Bilaspur, Surat, Panaji, Gurgaon and many more. The brand currently has eight stores and 20 franchisees pan-India with both online and offline.

Narendra, Director-Marketing, Solar Basket says: “Solar Basket offers a buying experience that is quite unique in the solar industry. By providing information and education paired with solid products and experience,... Read more..

Fuel cells developed to boost plane efficiency

 Researchers have developed the first fuel cell that can directly convert fuels, such as jet fuel or gasoline, to electricity, providing a more energy-efficient way to create electric power for planes or cars. 

Scientists led by Professor Su Ha and Professor M Grant Norton at Washington State University have made coin-sized fuel cells to prove the concept and plan to scale it up. 

About 10 years ago, the researchers began developing a solid-oxide fuel cell to provide electrical power on commercial airplanes. 

Fuel cells offer a clean and highly efficient way to convert... Read more..

Patna Gets Green Signal for Metro Train

 Bihar Urban Development Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday gave the green signal to the much awaited Patna metro train project.

"We have decided to go ahead with the metro train project instead of the monorail," Choudhary told media persons in Patna.

The department was also pondering over a monorail project for the state capital.

Choudhary said the metro train project will be completed in four phases, and the Patna Metro Train Corporation will be set up before August 15.

An interim report of the project would be sent to the union urban development ministry... Read more..

Green managers stuff funds with Apple after environmental reforms

 Apple Inc, criticized in the past for greenhouse gas emissions, use of toxic materials and the hiring of underage workers, has improved its practices and earned better scores from groups such as Greenpeace. That's good news for environmentally-aware mutual funds that hold Apple for another big reason – it makes money.

The Cupertino, California-based maker of the iPhone, the world's biggest public company by market capitalization, has adopted a slew of green policies such as expanded product recycling and using solar power at its data centers. For managers who have made it a... Read more..

Rajasthan eyes Rs 2,500 crore investment in wind energy sector

 The Rajasthan government today approved an amendment in the Wind Energy Act, 2012 to attract investment of Rs 2,500 crore to produce 400 MW power from wind mills in the state. 

The cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje approved the amendment in the existing "Wind Energy Act, 2012" with an investment prospect of Rs 2,500 crore by producing 400 MW power through wind mills, Rajendra Rathore, Parliamentary Affairs Minister told reporters after a three-hour long meeting here. 

A committee would also be set up to draw lines on purchase of lands (private and government... Read more..

DataDirect Networks helps EMSL Speed Climate, Energy and Bioscience Discoveries with High Performance Storage (Global)

To help the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reduce dependence on foreign oil and accelerate discoveries to preserve the environment, the Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory (EMSL), a national scientific user facility located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), has implemented DataDirect Networks (DDN) high performance block and file storage solutions to provide a storage foundation for ongoing alternative energy research projects.

Over the years, scientific requirements have changed as computational models have grown in size and granularity. Faced with an... Read more..

Rajasthan modifies wind energy policy to draw investment

 The Rajasthan government Tuesday cleared amendments to its wind energy policy with an aim to attract investment in the sector.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

"With the objective of promoting wind energy generation in the state and attract more investors in this sector, the cabinet gave its nod to the amendments in the wind energy policy," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore told media persons.

"The decision would pave the way for setting up projects of 400 MW annual wind power capacity and bring... Read more..

Indosolar Secures Solar Cell Supply Contract

 Indosolar Ltd has entered into single largest solar cell supply contract of 60 MW under Domestic Content Requirement of National Solar Mission with Azure Power India Private Limited, New Delhi. Supplies will commence shortly and will be completed early Q1 of 2015, keeping in mind the timeline of National Solar Mission.

Shares of INDOSOLAR LTD. was last trading in BSE at Rs.4.75 as compared to the previous close of Rs. 4.53. The total number of shares traded during the day was 1369079 in over 894 trades.

The stock hit an intraday high of Rs. 4.75 and intraday low of 4.53. The... Read more..

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited commissions 68 MW hydel unit at Himachal Pradesh

 State-owned power equipment maker BhelBSE 2.84 % today commissioned 68 MW unit at the Rampur Hydro Electric Project in Himachal Pradesh. 

"With the commissioning of one more hydro generating unit of 68 MW at Rampur project, Bhel has commissioned four units of the 412 MW hydro power plant of SJVNBSE 2.73 % Limited," Bhel said in a statement. 

The first three units of the Rampur project, which were commissioned earlier by Bhel in March, have been put into commercial operation in May. 

The remaining two sets are also at an advanced stage of execution and are likely to be... Read more..