Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Rs 360-cr subsidy given to 285,000 EV buyers under FAME India: Javadekar

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said that about 2.85 lakh buyers of electric/hybrid vehicles have been supported by a subsidy of Rs 360 crore under the FAME India Scheme. He said that the benefit of incentives to buyers of mild hybrid vehicles under Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in (FAME-INDIA) scheme was withdrawn with effect from April 1, 2017, based on the third-party evaluation of Phase-I of FAME India Scheme. Javadekar, the Minister of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises informed the Lower House in a written reply. "The Phase-I of... Read more..

Surat to have plastic waste mgmt centre

A two-member team from Union petroleum ministry-run Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) visited the Diamond city on Tuesday. They had come to discuss the initial plan for setting up a plastic waste management centre in the city. Surat is one of the four cities in the country where plastic waste management centres are being set up by the union government with a basic grant of Rs 6 crore for each centre. The other three cities are Benaras, Bengaluru and Patna. Local body will help in setting up the infrastructure on its land which will essentially work as a... Read more..

Finally, Kochi to have waste-to-energy plant

After a delay of more than one-and-a-half year, GJ Eco Power Private Ltd, the promoters of waste-to-energy plant, has started the work on the project. The project got the building permit, the last one among a slew of approvals, a few days ago and the company started site preparation works. The first phase of the project, which aims at generating power from refuse derived fuel (RDF) pellets, will be operational by January 2021. “The second phase, which focuses on power generation through gasification plant, will be completed within six months after the completion of the first phase. We have... Read more..

Hydro generation jumps 16% in current fiscal; Non-fossil fuel share at record high

India's hydroelectricity generation soared 16 per cent this financial year so far, the highest in five years, as the share of power generated from non-fossil fuels jumped to a record high, feeding the rising energy demand of the world's fastest-growing major economy. Power Minister R K Singh said electricity generation in India rose 7.4 per cent in the first quarter ended June 2019, and 6.7 per cent in July. It was flat in September and tapered in the following month as excess rainfall in several parts of the country reduced demand for air conditioning and irrigation requirement. "During... Read more..

Lack of charging stations: Dealers hesitant to roll out e-cars in Kerala

Car manufacturers who have brought out electric cars are yet to roll out these vehicles into Kerala market. Representatives of car dealers said that lack of public charging stations (PCS) was the main reason for not making these vehicles available for customers. A sales representative with the dealer of Hyundai said, “We are yet to get sales approval for introducing the vehicles to the market. It is practically difficult to introduce the vehicles as there are not enough PCS. If a vehicle stops in between a journey, it will not be possible to recharge the vehicle and it will reflect... Read more..

MG Motor sets up first public charging stn ahead of EV launch

MG Motor India on Tuesday announced installation of the first charging station at its flagship showroom in Gurugram ahead of the launch of its first electric vehicle (EV) SUV, ZS. The 50 KW DC charging station has been installed by the domestic subsidiary of the Finland-based clean energy major, Fortum Charge and Drive, a release said. MG Motor India's first pure electric car the MG ZS is slated for launch next month. "With an aim to be the leader in the EV segment in India, we are pulling out all stops to ensure adequate charging infrastructure for our first EV customers. Our endeavour is... Read more..

Sustainability Outlook partners with Center for Responsible Business for the 6th Annual Sustainability Conference

The theme this year is “Market Dynamics & Social Dilemmas of Promoting Sustainable Business”

New Delhi, Delhi, India:  Centre for Responsible Business, a think-tank for promoting sustainability practices has launched the Sixth edition of its annual flagship conference, India & Sustainability Standards (ISS), a melting pot for the exchange of diverse multi - stakeholder perspectives and ideas from thought leaders, experts,... Read more..

Odisha to spend Rs 110 crore for green energy

The State Government will spend around Rs 110 crore to generate 9,623 kW solar energy this year. A total of 29 off-grid projects will be executed in the State during 2019-20 fiscal to generate green energy. Most of these projects will be roof-top solar units connected to grids, said officials of the Science and Technology department. As per the plan, the Government will execute three solar projects at an estimated cost of Rs 20.5 crore for 128 tribal residential schools in the State. The Government plans to generate around 1,280 kW solar power from these projects. Similarly, the Odisha... Read more..

ADB to provide USD 91 mn loan for Vijayanagara Channel

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide USD 91 million loan to modernise the Vijayanagara Channel irrigation systems and prepare river basin management plans in the Krishna river. The basin management plan will help improve irrigation water use efficiency and contribute to improve sustainable water security in Karnataka, said the multilateral lending agency after signing the agreement with the government regarding the loan. The investment programme, consisting of two project loans, will help Karnataka's water agencies better draw up and roll out effective river basin management plans... Read more..

Bayer CropScience's hi-tech farming project to help 2.5 million smallholder farmers

Bayer CropScience, one of the leading crop protection sciences and seeds companies operating in India, has launched Better Life Farming, an initiative to empower 2.5 million Indian smallholder farmers by 2025 through 5,000 agri-entrepreneurs in horticulture, corn and paddy crops. "Over the last few years we have done pilot projects in UP and Jharkhand among chilli and tomato farmers by roping in partners in the agri-value chain such as drip irrigation specialists to large-scale buyers such as Big Basket and DeHaat. Based on the feedback and results, we are now expanding it to a large scale... Read more..

Transmission charges waiver for renewables extended for second time

The Power Ministry has extended the period during which renewable energy project developers will be spared interstate transmission system charges for the transmission of electricity generated by their facilities. Originally open until the end of March 2022, the ministry has extended the period by nine months so that all solar and wind projects commissioned during that year will secure a 25-year waiver for the grid charges. As before, however, the waiver is only granted to projects allocated through a competitive bidding process and which sell power to electricity distribution companies... Read more..

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank mulls $2.2-billion loan for Indian infra projects

Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is evaluating loans worth over $2.2 billion for funding power transmission and distribution projects in Assam, metro rail projects in Chennai, Mumbai and rural water supply system in Karnataka, the multi-lateral lender’s vice-president and chief investment officer DJ Pandian has said. AIIB has also started preliminary discussions with the Indian government to fund electric vehicle charging stations in the country along with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, Pandian said. “The moment they come up with a proper policy and... Read more..