Sustainability Outlook Headlines

IIT-M sets up India’s 1st solar-powered desal plant

The technology behind desalination plants may appear simple extract seawater, remove salt, make freshwater but operating such plants is power intensive and can also pollute the environment through toxic brine (salts) effluents. After it was realized that the solution to tackling water scarcity lay in seawater and the Sun, a team has now set up the country’s first solar-powered desalination plant, with a capacity to... Read more..

India starts review phase on technology-selection for multi-GW of new cell and module facilities

Following recent announcements from the government departments administering India’s solar PV growth ambitions, the country is now in the process of working out how to expand its domestic upstream manufacturing capacity, at a time when the PV industry is going through a period of rapid technology-change and supplier competition. Having been through various (albeit at reduced levels) manufacturing capacity expansion... Read more..

Andhra Pradesh asks power discoms not to back out of green power purchase agreements

The Andhra Pradesh government has directed state-run power distribution companies to honour contracts signed with renewable energy developers, offering relief to generators at a time when several clean energy buyers are backing out of agreements and seeking lower tariffs. Andhra Pradesh, one of the leading states in using renewable energy, has more than 7,000 MW of solar and wind projects and aims to take it to 18,... Read more..

3 years after launch, New Delhi Municipal Council smart city work in progress

On January 28, 2016, 20 cities were chosen through a competitive contest for the government’s urban renewal flagship initiative –– the Smart City Mission. The concept was new –– cities competed with each other and were chosen through a scientific weightage system to “smarten up”. 

Cities had to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with a dedicated CEO and staff, generate a revenue stream to fund big-ticket... Read more..

India needs more reforms to remain the fastest-growing large economy: IMF

India has been one of the fastest growing large economies in the world, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said, asserting that the country has carried out several key reforms in the last five years, but more needs to be done. Responding to a question on India's economic development in the last five years at a fortnightly news conference here, IMF communications director Gerry Rice Thursday said, "India has... Read more..

Pollution: 6 States told to submit action plan

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed six States to submit by April 30 action plans for bringing air quality standards within the prescribed norms, failing which they would be liable to pay environment compensation of Rs. 1 crore each. A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel ordered the Chief Secretaries of Assam, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Nagaland governments to... Read more..

ADB to invest $50 million in solar power project developer Avaada

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Tuesday said it has inked an agreement to invest USD 50 million in solar energy project developer Avaada Energy Pvt Ltd to help the company scale up rapidly. The investment will come equally from ADB's Ordinary Capital Resources and Leading Asia's Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP). LEAP is a funding arrangement provided by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which is administered by ADB. The agreement was signed Tuesday by Chair of AEPL Vineet Mittal and ADB Principal... Read more..

India, Maldives exchange MoUs on energy efficiency

India and Maldives on Monday signed one agreement and two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU), including collaboration in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy, in the presence of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid. India and Maldives signed an agreement on the exemption from visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and official passports, while, the MoUs exchanged focused on Indian Grant Assistance for the implementation of High Impact... Read more..

Electric Vehicles: GoZero Mobility to foray into Indian market with two products

British electric bike and lifestyle brand GoZero Mobility will enter Indian market next week with the launch of two products. The Birmingham-based firm will launch two electric bikes -- One and Mile -- in Delhi-NCR next week. It has tied up with Kolkata-based Kirti Solar to develop and manufacture current range as well as for future products. Kirti Solar has invested USD 250,000 in GoZero Mobility. "With the significant focus by the Government of India towards electric mobility, especially two-wheelers, we... Read more..

Government to hire pro team to monitor KISAN scheme

The government is planning to hire senior professionals and support staff to monitor and implement PM KISAN scheme in which BJP-ruled states have taken the lead, sending names of small and marginal farmers eligible to receive Rs 6,000 annually in three equal instalments. “Initially, we are going to hire six... Read more..

UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion addresses fast fashion

The UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion, launched recently at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, is seeking to halt the environmentally and socially destructive practices of fashion and harness the industry as a driver for improving ecosystems. The event hosted a series of pop-up fashion installations with guest appearances from UN goodwill ambassadors. The fashion industry is the second-biggest consumer of... Read more..