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Sustainability Outlook Headlines
India’s Greenko & Sembcorp Receive Funding For Renewable Energy ExpansionBond payment defaults and renegotiations of wind and solar power projects are proving to be a challenge in India. Even as the Indian renewable energy sector struggles with these stressful developments, a number of large and ‘well-backed’ companies are receiving additional funds for further expansion of operations. Greenko Energy Holdings announced the closure of another equity funding round. This time, the company managed to raise US$329 million through a rights issue. Singapore’s sovereign growth fund GIC... Read more.. |
Canada’s pension fund OMERS seeks new green energy dealsCanadian pension fund Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (OMERS) is scouting for acquisition opportunities in India, in an affirmation of the country’s position as a green energy hot-spot. With net assets of more than $100 billion under management, OMERS has been attracted by the presence of other Canadian investors in India such as Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and Brookfield Asset Management. This comes at a time when India’s emerging... Read more.. |
Assam utility opens single window clearance for solar rooftop installationsPublic sector power utility, Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has come up with a single window clearance system for accelerating deployment of Grid Connected Solar Rooftop installations in Assam. APDCL stated that it has come up with a web portal which will facilitate as a single-window clearance system for the consumers willing to install rooftop solar power plants in their premises. The portal is hosted by Assam Power Distribution Company Limited and serves as an integrated platform for... Read more.. |
Public transport to reduce Bhubaneswar’s carbon footprintThe Smart City’s public transport system will soon have a Low Carbon Mobility (LCM) component. A German agency — German Corporation for International Cooperation or GIZ — will provide technical guidance to the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) to reduce the carbon footprint of the public transport system. The LCM plan will be ready in October, after which its implementation will begin. The BDA will be the implementing agency of the LCM. The state government had in 2017 signed an MoU with the agency to... Read more.. |
French MNC EDF upbeat on India across renewables, nuclear, T&D sectorsFrench power multinational EDF (Électricité de France) is upbeat on India across several areas including renewables, nuclear power, transmission and distribution systems, and smart grids. The company, which had bagged a mega project to deploy five million smart meters in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, has completed pilot projects and is stepping up efforts to deploy them. Marianne Laigneau, Group Senior Executive Vice-President In-Charge of International Division, said, “EDF has been awarded the biggest ever... Read more.. |
Solar powered hybrid rickshaws make debut on IIT-Delhi campusSuresh Kumar has been pedalling people at IIT-Delhi since 2002. But now a solar-powered hybrid rickshaw will make his job less burdensome. Central Electronics Limited (CEL), a central government enterprise that has decided to give these vehicles to the rickshaw-pullers at IIT Delhi under a corporate social responsibility initiative, handed over 10 such rickshaws, which will ply on the campus. CEL has designed and manufactured specialised 300-Watt solar panels to be used as the roof of the rickshaws. “These... Read more.. |
Driving Sustainable Development Via ‘Green’ WindowsAs the development dreams of emerging nations such as India hasten urbanisation, it inadvertently leaves a higher carbon trail, increasing global warming. Although development can’t be stopped, there are numerous means of ensuring these activities leave a lower carbon trail, minimising environmental damage. Believe it or not, one such way is by using the right windows and doors! Gone are the days when the role of windows and doors in homes were limited to just being sources of natural light and fresh air, or... Read more.. |
Electric vehicle start-up SmartE gets Rs 100-crore investment from MitsuiElectric vehicle (EV) start-up SmartE has raised Rs 100 crore from Japanese major trading house Mitsui & Co in a Series B funding round. In addition to the capital, Mitsui will bring to SmartE multiple synergies through its existing businesses in the EV domain to enable the company for long-term growth. Founded in 2014, SmartE provides electric mobility services and focuses on offering shared last-mile connectivity. It has moved over 35 million commuters till date. With its fleet of nearly 1,000 electric... Read more.. |
Haryana: Government buildings to have rooftop solar power plantsThe new and renewable energy department of Gurugram has asked all heads of departments to send data of government buildings under their jurisdiction for setting up solar power plants on rooftops. Initially, the solar plants were to come up entirely on government funds, but after the state finance department did not approve the installation completely on government grants, they would now be set up under the RESCO model. “Government buildings with a sanctioned load capacity of 40kW or more should install a... Read more.. |
J-K: 20 electric buses flagged off in Srinagar under FAME India schemeJammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik and Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise, Arvind Sawant on Friday flagged off 20 electric buses in Srinagar under the FAME India (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India) scheme. These buses were flagged off as part of phase-II of the FAME scheme. The environment-friendly buses were launched from Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre. In February this year, the Union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister... Read more.. |
Lead-Acid Battery market will grow explosively with EVs, says Deepak Ojha, MD, WaldiesThe lead-acid battery industry has been in existence for more than 150 years, but the ubiquitous technology is still displaying remarkable traction. With a proven arrangement for reliable and low-cost energy storage, lead-acid battery plays an important role in our day-to-day life. The global lead-acid battery market size was valued at approximately $57.19 billion in 2017 and is forecasted to reach $107.59 billion by 2026, growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3 per cent. Growth in the lead-... Read more.. |
EVs Represent Large And Growing Global Opportunity: Bharat ForgeElectric mobility represents a large global opportunity with the segment gathering pace over the next few years, according to auto component major Bharat Forge. Addressing shareholders in the company's annual report for 2018-19, Bharat Forge Chairman and Managing Director B N Kalyani said the company has started making inroads in the segment through stake acquisition in Tork Motors and Tevva Motors to scale its capabilities and gain access to R&D knowledge base. The company has also set up a research and... Read more.. |
Global shipping industry 'most exposed' to low carbon energy shiftRapid decarbonisation of global energy supplies will have radical implications for the shipping industry, a new report said on Wednesday. India too has also been trying to reduce its dependency on coal imports as well as increase its domestic production of oil and gas, resulting in less dependence on fossil fuel cargo. The report by Britain-based shipping industry research group Maritime Strategies International (MSI) recommends vessel selection will be critical, requiring divestment from sectors with the... Read more.. |
Easing business climate, trade norms to help India attract FDI, improve CAD: IMFEasing business climate and relaxing trade related norms will help India attract foreign investors and improve the current account deficit situation, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF in its India section of the External Sector Report has said that although progress has been made on foreign direct investment (FDI) liberalisation, portfolio flows remain controlled. India's trade barriers remain significant, it said, adding steps to contain fiscal deficit should be accompanied with... Read more.. |
‘Transmission sector needs ₹5 lakh crore investment for future needs’One of the key requirements for a $5-trillion economy is an investment of about ₹5 lakh crore in the power transmission sector over the next few years, in order to cater to the 1.8 lakh crore units of electricity that India is likely to consume by 2025, according to a White Paper released by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a $5-trillion economy will require an estimated investment of ₹5 lakh crore in the transmission sector over the next few years,” CII... Read more.. |
3 Li-ion battery manufacturers may set up shops in TelanganaAs part of NITI Aayog's EV push in the country, three different electric vehicle battery (Li-ion) manufacturers with a combined capacity of 10 gigawatts are expected to set up their facilities in Telangana soon with an investment of Rs 1500 crore in the first phase. Director of Electronics, Telangana, Sujai Karampuri, withholding the names of the companies, said the construction of three different facilities is expected to begin in a month or two and production of the cells would begin between nine to 15... Read more.. |
Rapid Urbanisation and Deforestation are Warming up the State of Odisha, finds studyIt is no secret that the planet's temperature is increasing. If it continues unabated, India will be among one of the worst-hit countries with frequent floods and droughts. Most parts of Northern India faced severe heatwave with temperatures reaching record highs and killing hundreds in 2019. On the contrary, torrential rains lashed Mumbai and Pune, flooding the cities. In Chennai, a severe crisis for drinking water is keeping the city on its toes. Global warming is caused by increasing levels of greenhouse... Read more.. |
Greenko starts roadshows for up to $1 billion bond saleGreenko Group, one of India’s largest renewable energy producers, has started meeting investors for a proposed dollar bond sale, which could see the company raise up to $1 billion, said two people aware of the development. Greenko, owned by sovereign wealth funds GIC of Singapore and Abu Dhabi's Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), is looking to raise up to $750 million to $1 billion through the bond sale to refinance the debt of a part of its operational assets, said the first person cited above. "Investor... Read more.. |
India To Save $ 381 Million Through Sustainable Ethanol Procurement SystemIndia could save $381 million and ensure a consistent supply of ethanol while developing the indigenous industry, says the latest report by UPES and PLR. It emphasizes meeting the ethanol blending mandates along with the development of 2G production. The report suggests that India needs to follow international trends very closely for a robust ethanol ecosystem, which will facilitate substantial foreign exchange savings from reduced dependence on crude as well as increased octane savings. Mr. Suhaan Mukerji,... Read more.. |
Bosch inaugurates expanded smart factory for mobility solutions near BengaluruBosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, has inaugurated its expanded smart factory for mobility solutions in Bidadi (Phase II), which is located around 35 km from Bengaluru. The plant features latest Industry 4.0 solutions and carbon-neutral technology. The company has invested 31 million euros in the new facility. The Bidadi plant will accommodate almost 2,500 associates by the end of 2019. The Bidadi plant will act as a local hub for development of Bosch powertrain solutions and... Read more.. |
Andhra Pradesh asks SECI, NTPC to revise tariffs for some solar projectsThe new government in Andhra Pradesh has asked NTPC and Solar Energy Corp of India (SECI) to revise tariffs for power from 1,650 megawatt of solar projects to Rs 2.44 per unit retrospectively from the time of commissioning of the plants in 2016. In a letter to NTPC, government-run southern power distribution company of Andhra Pradesh sought revision of tariffs from solar plants in Anantpur district (250 mw) and Kurnool (1,000 mw). The tariff from the Anantpur plant has been fixed by the state's regulator at... Read more.. |
Plastics could be recycled to create renewable energy says a new researchScientists have found a way to recycle plastics to create high-value materials such as carbon nanotubes, which can not only conduct heat and electricity but also help reduce plastic waste. While a small proportion of the hundreds of types of plastics can be recycled by conventional technology, researchers from Swansea University in the UK found that there are other things that can be done to reuse plastics after they have served their original purpose. The research, published in The Journal for Carbon... Read more.. |
Unpredictable rains and sudden storms are new risk to India’s renewables goalsIndia’s ambitious plan to take the leadership position among nations as one of largest producers of renewable energy may have run into some unfavorable weather. Freak climatic conditions are damaging renewable energy projects, threatening a business which survives on wafer-thin margins. A storm in India’s Rajasthan state, known for its deserts and sunny days, tore through a solar park and blew away modules of various developers. In the adjoining state of Madhya Pradesh, a generator found sections of his... Read more.. |
India's Renewable Energy Capacity Crosses 80GW-Mark, Says R K SinghIndia's renewable energy capacity has crossed the 80GW-mark, which includes 29.55 GW of solar energy and 36.37 GW wind power, Parliament was informed Tuesday. The government has set an ambitious target of having 175 GW of clean energy capacity by 2022, including 100 GW solar and 60 GW of wind energy. "The Government is regularly monitoring the progress being made to achieve the target of 175 GW by 2022. "A total of 80.46 GW of renewable energy capacity has been installed in the country as on June 30, 2019... Read more.. |
Indus plans to host EV charging units across its vast network of telecom towersIndus Towers Ltd, India’s largest mobile tower company, plans to utilize its vast base of telecom towers to charge electric vehicles as part of a strategy to tap this fledgling industry and morph into an overall infrastructure provider. The move will allow the company to secure a unique revenue stream outside the traditional model of renting out its towers to mobile phone operators. It would also help Indus Towers reduce dependence on the troubled domestic telecom sector. The telecom industry has witnessed... Read more.. |
