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Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Sterling and Wilson to add wind power to its portfolio

Solar power company Sterling and Wilson Pvt. Ltd plans to enter the wind energy business in 2018-19 to become an integrated clean energy player, managing director Khurshed Daruvala said.

In a recent interview with Mint, Khurshed Daruvala, MD, Sterling and Wilson Pvt Ltd, said the Shapoorji Pallonji group company is also interested in entering power transmission, and is scouting for possible acquisitions in... Read more..

Source: livemint

Solar-powered system can harvest fresh water from air

Scientists have developed a system that can harvest water out of the air using just solar power, an advance ideal for people living in arid areas of the world. The prototype, developed by researchers at University of California, Berkeley in the US, can extract drinkable water every day/night cycle at very low humidity and at low cost. "It operates at ambient temperature with ambient sunlight, and with no additional energy input you can collect water in the desert. This laboratory-to-desert journey allowed us... Read more..

Source: Daily News and Analysis

Aditya Birla seeks investor for its renewable energy business

Kumar Mangalam Birla-controlled Aditya Birla Group, which tied up with private equity house Abraaj Group in 2015 for its renewable energy business, is said to be seeking a new investor for the business, two people aware of the development said.

Aditya Birla Renewables Ltd is a joint venture between the Birla Group and Abraaj, with Birla holding a 51% stake and Gulf-based Abraaj holding the remaining 49%... Read more..

Source: livemint

Surat set to become country's first smart city with solar power, vertical gardens

Members of parliamentary consultative committee of central government’s ministry of urban development are on a visit to the city. The committee members on Friday visited a number of projects being implemented under ‘Smart City Mission’ by the Surat Municipal Corporation. SMC would be implementing development works to the tune of Rs 2,908 crore under it. So far, 14 projects have been completed and 31 are under implementation stage. Process is on to issue tenders for the remaining 13 projects under the Smart... Read more..

Source: ET Energyworld

All electricity meters to be smart prepaid in 3 yrs: power minister R K Singh

Power Minister R K Singh today said all electricity meters in the country will be smart prepaid meters in the next three years. 

"In the next 3 years, metering will go smart...and gone will be the days of bills reaching your house. So need of the hour is to scale up manufacturing of smart prepaid meters and to bring down their prices." Singh said. 

... Read more..

Source: ET Energyworld

Union government to fast-track roof-top solar in Delhi

The Union government will soon fast-track the setting up of roof-top solar power units in Delhi through a single-window clearance system - as a pilot project. This will enable Delhiites to avail 30 per cent subsidy on purchase of solar power apparatus and in four to five years after installation,people are expected to get electricity for free as the cost will be covered up.

The announcement was made by Gopal... Read more..

Source: India Today

NGT warns of action against Kanpur tanneries over effluent treatment plants issue

The National Green Tribunal has rapped the tanneries located in and around Kanpur over the delay in setting up of common effluent treatment plants (CETP) and directed them to contribute 25 per cent of the cost as per its direction. 

A bench headed by acting chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim warned the tannery units in Jajmau, Unnao and Banthar that if they fail to abide by its order, appropriate action would... Read more..

Source: The Economic Times

ACME Group bags 50 MW Solar power project

ACME Group today said it has won 50 MW solar power project at Gujrai solar park, Uttar Pradesh in an auction conducted by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

ACME won the contract in the reverse auction held today, invited by the SECI for Gujrai solar park, a company statement said.

The SECI invited... Read more..

Source: The Times of India

IIT team's solar powered system can convert plastic into fuel

Scientists from IIT Madras have developed a solar powered system to convert non-recyclable plastic into fuel that can substitute diesel used in generators, furnaces and engines. 

The technology - which consists of a mobile unit that can collect and process waste - currently yields around 0.7 litres of fuel oil per kilogramme of plastic, researchers said. 

... Read more..

Source: ET Energyworld

Demand for green bonds set to soar in Asia

Private capital has a huge opportunity to help meet the region's soaring demand for "green" investment over the next decade or so, said a Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) executive yesterday.

Mr Ng Yao Loong told the Green Bonds Asia Conference here that an estimated US$200 billion (S$266 billion) of investment will be needed between 2016 and 2030 - a five-fold increase from current levels.... Read more..

Source: The Straits Times

In Vadodara, Railways offers Rs 5 cashback for dropping plastic bottle in crushing machine

In a bid to reduce plastic waste, the Indian Railways has come up with a scheme that rewards people for helping the department recycle plastic bottles at railway stations.

To start with, the department has installed bottle crushers at the Vadodara Railway Station.

The Indian Railways says this is part of... Read more..

Source: India Today

Only 17% water in India’s reservoirs, northern and central region see sharpest drop

In the wake of reports of water crises from several parts of the nation as summer began, official government data says country’s 91 major reservoirs have just 17% of water out of their total capacity. Till June 7, water storage in these major reservoirs remained at 26.742 billion cubic metre (bcm), which is just 17% of the total capacity of the reservoir, data released by the Ministry Of Water Resouces, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation on Thursday stated in a PIB release.

... Read more..

Source: Financial Express

Government approves continuation of off-grid solar PV applications scheme

The government today approved proposal to implement phase-III of off-grid and decentralised solar PV applications programme to have additional 118 MWp (Mega Watt peak) off-grid solar PV capacity by 2020. 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs - chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi - has given approval for implementation of off-grid and decentralised solar PV (photo voltaic) application programme phase... Read more..

Source: ET Energyworld

Varanasi, Lucknow to get smart meters by year end

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi will be connected to smart meters by the end of this year, as the government plans to cut down on the losses of state distribution companies and reduce power theft in cities. 

Lucknow, which is home minister Rajnath Singh’s constituency, will also see a partial roll-out of smart meters by 2018 end. State-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) floated a... Read more..

Source: The Economic Times

Canal solar power projects have 1,500 MW potential in Punjab: Minister

Punjab has more than 1,500 mega watt (MW) potential for installation of solar power projects on its main canals. This was stated by power and new and renewable energy minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar on Wednesday.

However, till date only 20 MW capacity pilot-cum-demonstration project for development of grid-connected solar photovoltaic power plants on canal tops has been allotted to Punjab, he said, adding... Read more..

Source: ET Energyworld

MSEDCL to seek separate tariff for charging electric vehicles

The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited will approach the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission for separate tariff rates for charging electric vehicles.

According to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited (MSEDCL) officials, the stations at present will charge customers commercial electricity tariff according to the Maharashtra Electricity... Read more..

Source: The Times of India

Novel material can remove pollutants from water

Scientists have identified absorbent materials that can help soak up pollutants found in urban waste water in less than 24 hours.

Researchers from University of Seville in Spain evaluated two types of phyllosilicates: a highly-charged expandable synthetic mica (Na-Mica-4), and one obtained from cation exchange with an organo-functionalised mica (C18-Mica-4).

... Read more..

Source: The Times of India

Budweiser beer maker AB InBev goes green; inks pact for renewable energy

World's biggest beer giant Anheuser-Busch (AB InBev) today announced that its Mysore unit in Karnataka has started using green energy and a power purchase agreement has been inked with Canadian firm Amp for ten years. 

The brewery in Mysore, which manufactures beer brands especially Budweiser, Knock out and Beck's Ice, is the company's third unit in the world that will be operated through renewable source.... Read more..

Source: ET Energyworld

CAG to introduce outcome based audits

The Comptroller and Auditor General is embarking on its third generation audit by introducing outcome based audits very soon. The government’s official auditor first started with compliance audits of various government departments, which it carried on for decades looking into the correctness of expenditure and accounts. Then, in the past few years, it had started conducting performance audits which looked into implementation of a policy and its revenue implications.

... Read more..

Source: The Times of India

Amazon India to Install Solar Rooftops at Fulfilment, Sort Centres

In its global initiative to generate clean energy, e-commerce major Amazon India on Tuesday said it will install 8,000-kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar panels at its fulfilment centres and sortation sites in the country by year-end to make them self-sustaining. The company has so far installed close to 1,600 kW of solar power panels at its two fulfilment centres in Delhi and Hyderabad, it said in a statement.

It... Read more..

Source: Gadgets NDTV

French firm& Bengaluru civic body sign MoU on waste-to-energy

The French Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler today underlined the need to treat waste in the most scientific manner in view of India producing 64 million tonnes of waste annually, of which only 30 per cent istreated.

Ziegler was speaking at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between French firm 3Wayste and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the civic body of Bengaluru.

... Read more..
Source: Business Standard

By 2022, India vows to stop single-use plastics

 India on the occasion of the World Environment Day on Tuesday pledged to eliminate all single-use plastics (items like carry bags, straws and water bottles among others) from the country by 2022 — the year which coincides with 75 years of the country's independence. 

"We make a solemn pledge that we will eliminate all single-use plastics from our country," said Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan while... Read more..

Source: The Economic Times

Renewable energy target now 227 GW, will need $50 billion more in investments

India will add 227 GW of renewable energy capacity by March 2022, possibly scaling up its ranking to the top three countries making investments in the sector. 

Thermal power plant developers, however, voiced concerns on generation capacity glut and underutilisation of projects amid stress in the sector. 

... Read more..

Source: The Economic Times

KUSUM scheme to be implemented from next month: RK Singh

The government will provide 2.75 million solar pumps to farmers under the first phase of the Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme, to be launched by July 2018. 

Under the Rs 48,000 crore scheme, 1.75 million solar pumps will be installed where the grid has not reached and 1 million solar pumps where the grid is available. "Initially the solar-pumps will be distributed as per the demand... Read more..

Source: ET Energyworld

Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma co-launches $150-mn environment protection fund

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma and venture capitalist Shailesh Vickram Singh have joined hands to launch a $150-million environment protection-focused fund.

The launch of the stage-agnostic, yet sector-focused Massive Fund is the second example of a notable entrepreneur and well-known venture capital investor coming together to launch a new investment vehicle, after UIDAI architect Nandan Nilekani and... Read more..

Source: ET Energyworld
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