Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Typhoon Haiyan sets the tone of UN climate change talks in Warsaw

Philippines' tragedy that saw killing of over 10,000 lives by super typhoon Haiyan set the tone of United Nations climate change talks which began in Warsaw, Poland amid hope that the devastation, caused by global warming, will move both developed and developing countries alike to find a final solution to deal with vagaries of weather.

Asking the gathering at Warsaw to work until the most meaningful outcome to deal with issue is in sight, the Philippines' head of delegation to the UN climate talks, Yeb Sano, stunned the participants from over 190 countries when he couldn't stop his... Read more..

Date : Nov 12

Source: Economic Times

Prince Charles checks in with low-carbon agenda

The Aluva municipality and British consulting services company WS Atkins signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for developing a master plan for the Aluva municipality in Kochi on Monday in the presence of Prince Charles.

Funded by the Prosperity Fund Programme of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the master plan will help Aluva municipality develop an integrated urban planning approach that will reduce energy intensity and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

At a function held in Willingdon Island, AS Anuja, secretary, Aluva municipality, signed the MoU with... Read more..

Date : Nov 12

Source: Times of India

Textile sector to get green field project

The city may soon get a green field project to address the environmental issues faced by the textile processing units here. This is thanks to the launch of Integrated Processing Development Scheme (IPDS) approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs ( CCEA).

Industry sources said the IPDS scheme has been designed to address the environmental concerns faced by the textile processing units. About Rs 500 crore for the project has been approved in the 12th five year plan.

The government intends to set up brown field and green field projects to address the environmental... Read more..

Date : Nov 12

Source: Times of India

'Green Revolution in NE aimed at corporatizing agriculture'

Anti-globalization author and activist Vandana Shiva said on Sunday that the Centre's move to implement a Green Revolution akin to Punjab in eastern India is aimed at corporatizing agriculture in the region.

Delivering a talk in the city organized by the People's Rights Forum on 'Challenges to Sustainable Farming from Globalization and Climate Change' here, Shiva said considering the present unemployment scenario across the world, agriculture is the only option for youths. She cautioned people against the use of chemical fertilizers, which are poisonous and undermine food security... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: Times of India

E-waste generated to touch 1,50,000 metric tonnes/year by 2020

Manufacturers' Association for Information Technology (MAIT) organized an informational event on "e-waste rules for bulk consumers" in partnership with the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Central Pollution Control Board and MPCB in Mumbai.
The speakers at the event highlighted that from the total e waste generated in the country, 20 percentage was from Maharashtra, of which 50 percentage came from Mumbai Metropolitan City. This was close to 11,000 metric tonnes, which is an underplayed figure.

UPS Madan, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, said: "MMRDA got acquainted... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: CIOL

Alstom T&D India will supply its energy management system to Power Grid Corp of India

Alstom T&D India will help monitor and control India's electricity supply network with two contracts worth Rs 100 crore (12.5 million) awarded by Power Grid Corporation of India

Alstom will supply its energy management system (EMS) to enable reliable, secure and efficient operation of the electric power system. The scope of the two contracts covers EMS packages for India's Southern Regional Load Dispatch Centres (SRLDC and WRLDC).

The growth in India's electrical grid capacity requires the upgrade to both 765 kV AC transmission and High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC)... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: Economic Times

Greenko commissions first phase of Balavenkatpuram wind farm in India

Greenko Group has commissioned the 51.2MW first phase of the Balavenkatpuram wind farm in Anantpur District of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Built with an investment of around €40m, the first phase features enhanced General Electric GE 1.6 XLE turbine, which has the potential to deliver around 30% capacity factor in an average year.

Greenko CEO Anil Chalamalasetty said the company has commissioned the phase one of the Balavenkatpuram wind farm ahead of schedule.

"Our first two wind farms refined our modular approach to wind farm construction, which is now... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: Energy Business Review

Green rating in housing norms

The state government is planning to incorporate 'green rating' in the Planning and Building Standards Regulations 2008, which govern building norms in city.

Sources said the housing and urban development (H&UD) department has asked Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) to give its views on integrating the green rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (Griha), the national rating system for green buildings, in city regulations. The concept was developed by Delhi-based TERI University.

Griha, by its qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria, is able to rate a... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: Times of India

Big forging firms learn efficiency tricks from small player

It is a rare moment of glory for a small forging company especially when the big daddy of forging technology like Bharat Forge comes visiting to take a look at what it has done. SB Engineers, a SME unit based in Bhosari MIDC Pune, has done something that the likes of Bharat Forge is impressed and other smaller units, too, are following suit.

SB Engineers, a small-scale forging unit run by CEO and founder Sunil Javalekar, has become a must-visit place on the itinerary of the Indian forging companies. Javalekar is giving lessons to forging companies on how to run their heating... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: Financial Express

BHEL in talks with for tie-up in CBFC boiler technology

France's Alstom and Switzerland-based Foster Wheeler AG are frontrunners for a possible partnership with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) in the circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) boiler segment.
This is a technology where the state-owned equipment firm is not considered as strong as competitors in the domestic market such as Thermax and ThyssenKrupp India.

With distinct commercial advantages in the long run and its credentials as a clean carbon platform, CFBC boilers are expected to be increasingly used for power generation as well as for industrial applications... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: Indian Express

ACME Group plans Rs 9000 cr investments in solar power space

Embarking on an ambitious business expansion, energy solutions provider ACME Group plans to invest as much as Rs 9,000 crore to develop solar power projects in the coming years.

The group, which already has significant presence in the telecom space, aims to set up solar power projects having total capacity of 1,000 Mw in the country.

"In the next four to five years, we will be building around 1,000 Mw of solar power projects. The investment will be about Rs 8,000 to 9,000 crore," ACME Group Chairman and Managing Director Manoj Upadhyay told PTI.

At present, the group... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: Business Standard

ASEM meet from today, focus on energy, education

Cooperation in disaster management, renewable energy, water and waste management, and education will be the focus of the 11th meeting of the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) of Foreign Ministers beginning Monday which will be attended by 49 countries.

To be held in Gurgaon, the two-day meeting would be attended by 37 Foreign Ministers and 12 Deputy Foreign Ministers from Asia and Europe. This would be one of the largest multilateral meets hosted by India in recent years.

This is the first time India is hosting a major ASEM meeting since it joined in 2007. ASEM has been primarily a... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: Indian Express

'Loss and damage': Key agenda of Warsaw climate talks

A day before the formal opening of the U.N. climate negotiations, delegates from more than 190 countries began informal parleys in order to set up common positions and strategies.

Many rounds of meetings between different blocs of countries and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) officials too went on in parallel with the Polish presidency keen to figure out a common ground.

The phrase “loss and damage” became a buzz word even as diplomats and negotiators from more than 190 countries continued to land in the Polish capital. “Loss and damage” refers to... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: The Hindu

Cash crunch: Road transport body may lose JNNURM grant for new buses

The loss-making AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is facing the threat of losing the central grant to procure new buses cleared under JNNURN scheme, for want of funds.

The Union urban development ministry last week gave nod to the RTC to purchase 737 posh buses at a cost of Rs 332.34 crore under phase-II of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme, but sources said the Corporation stood a chance of losing the opportunity as it was not in a position to mobilize Rs 123.19 crore required to pay as per the cost-sharing formula

Adding to its woes... Read more..

Date : Nov 11

Source: Times of India

Bihar energy deficit reduced to 16.7%

Within a year of the unbundling of the erstwhile Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB), the state energy de?cit has come down from 32.9% during 2009-10 to 16.7% during 2012-13. For the last two years, revenue has been increasing at a compound annual growth rate ( CAGR) of 18%. In total, there are now 43 lakh consumers in Bihar. Industrial and domestic consumers contribute to about 50% of total sales, according to the latest brochure released by the Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited (BSPHCL).

The BSPHCL booklet says 2734MW power would be available to Bihar by the end of 2013... Read more..

Date : Nov 10

Source: Times of India

Govt to promote solar devices among farmers

A pilot project is being conducted among farmers to introduce solar-powered motors, said the state electricity Minister Natham R Viswanathan while visiting the renewable energy exhibition here on Saturday. Farmers will be provided 80% subsidy for the purchase, he said.

The minister said farmers will be provided solar equipment worth over Rs 5 lakh under the scheme which is in its preliminary phase. The buyer will have to invest at least a lakh for the purchase. Subsidy is being provided by the state as well as the centre for buying non-conventional energy devices.

Date : Nov 10

Source: Times of India

Smart water making gains beyond the US

While much attention has been paid to smart water technology deployments in the United States, there is evidence that smart water technology is gaining traction in other parts of the world. The need is certainly acute: Unaccounted for water amounts to more than $14 billion annually around the globe, according to the World Bank. In response, innovative water projects in various stages have emerged in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

In Europe, the SmartWater4Europe project involves 21 different entities, including water utilities, technology vendors, research centers and... Read more..

Date : Nov 10

Source: Smart Grid News

Solar Energy Corp seeks licence for power trading from CERC

ensing huge potential in solar power production, the Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) has applied for licence for power trading with Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).

SECI managing director Rajendra Nimje said the PSU is authorised to sell power that will be produced under the proposed 750MW solar power projects under Phase-II Batch-I, recently announced by the Government.

“We see huge potential in solar power production in the coming years. We have applied for licence with the CERC.

It is under process and expected to be in final stages... Read more..

Date : Nov 10

Source: Hindu Business Line

JnNURM 2.0: Revisit the basics

Launched amidst great fanfare in the year 2005, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), is a seven-year mission to upgrade urban infrastructure in India's strained cities with an unprecedented funding package of nearly Rs 80,000 crore that has raised aspirations. It has broadly two sub-missions: one for infrastructure upgradation and the other for providing basic services for the urban poor.

State capitals and 67 large cities were chosen under the mission. This number rose to 467 as some of the smaller towns were included as well.

For the common man, the... Read more..

Date : Nov 10

Source: Indian Express

Green rating in housing norms

The state government is planning to incorporate 'green rating' in the Planning and Building Standards Regulations 2008, which govern building norms in city.

Griha, by its qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria, is able to rate a... Read more..

Date : Nov 10

Source: Times of India

Eco-friendly district looks for carbon credit

: The Kolhapur Zilla Parishad, with its one lakh biogas plants, might well become the first local civic body in the Maharashtra to earn carbon credits. Officials have begun preparations to count the district's carbon footprint, which will pave the way to apply for carbon credits.

The carbon credits are awarded for saving emission of greenhouse gases and implementing eco-friendly technology. With the ample grazing land and abundant water, Kolhapur residents have traditionally reared large number of cattle, with the district now counting for 5.25 lakh cattle. The dung, which would... Read more..

Date : Nov 10

Source: Times of India

BORG Energy targets solar units at 40000 homes across country

BORG Energy India, a subsidiary of Texas-based BORG Inc, engaged in micro solar power units, has launched its Karnataka operations.

With this launch, BORG plans to launch its micro solar power units in 40,000 homes across the country. The company has a presence in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. “According to a KPMG study, India has 4 million homes who can buy our units and we plan to target 60 per cent of this market,” said Boaz Augustin Jr, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, BORG Energy India. The device is priced from Rs 50,000 and will be sold through distributors and BORG’s... Read more..

Date : Nov 10

Source: Hindu Business Line

Centre to assist AP in tapping the potential of renewable energy sources

Considering the state’s potential for tapping renewable energy sources, the central government has assured the state government that it will encourage clean and green power sources like wind and sun.

While reviewing the progress of renewable energy in the state with energy special chief secretary M Sahoo and other officials at a high-level meeting held at the State Secretariat here on Friday, Union ministry of natural resources and energy (MNRE) secretary Ratan P Watal said special programmes would be conducted to encourage generation of renewable energy. Watal, along with joint... Read more..

Date : Nov 9

Source: The New Indian Express

Chicago Firm Wins Giant Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Deal

Chicago-based renewable energy firm New Generation Power and Hyderabad-based Premier Solar Group have signed one of the largest consortium power purchase agreements in India. Under what is called the “Andhra Pradesh Solar Scheme,” the open bid process is now to be part of a 1,000-megawatt development plan to be built in the state.

Expected to cost roughly about $400 million over one year, installations will be built on multiple sites in Andhra Pradesh over 20 years. NGP’s consortium will build, own and operate all of the plants.

“New Generation Power will build a world class... Read more..

Date : Nov 8

Source: India West

Robust regulatory mechanism needed for GM crop evaluation: Anwar

Tariq Anwar, minister of state for agriculture and food processing industries, stated that in order to create awareness about the benefits of genetically-modified (GM) crops among the farmers and the people of India, it is imperative to have a robust regulatory mechanism in place to evaluate them.

He said, “Farmers who grow GM crops would have a higher yield, so it would be a boon for agricultural productivity. About 35 countries already use GM crops, and we recommend that the trials of these crops be carried out in India as well, under the guidance of scientific experts.”

“... Read more..

Date : Nov 8

Source: fnbnews.com