Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Maharashtra transmission company to purchase 1000 MW solar power in 2018

In a move to boost solar energy production in Maharashtra, Mahavitaran, the power transmission company of the state government, is planning to purchase 1000 MW solar power this year.

Bids to purchase 1000 MW solar power have been invited at Rs 3 per unit, an Energy department official told over weekend.

As... Read more..

Proposed safeguard duty may not hit ongoing solar power projects

Amid fears of a proposed safeguard duty on imported solar cells thwarting India's solar mission, the government wants to ensure that the duty is prospective in nature, and does not impact ongoing solar projects, a top official in the renewable energy ministry said.

After directorate general of safeguards (DGS) this week proposed 70% safeguard duty citing "serious injury" to the domestic industry on account... Read more..

Renewable generation costs continue to fall: IRENA

For new projects commissioned in 2017, electricity costs from renewable power generation have continued to fall significantly compared to the fossil fuels, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

It estimates onshore wind is now routinely commissioned for $4 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). The current cost spectrum for fossil fuel power generation ranges from $5-17... Read more..

WTO: Support grows for India in solar tiff with US

The European Union, Canada, Brazil, China, and Japan were among those who supported India on Friday in the solar panel dispute with the US at the World Trade Organization (WTO), people familiar with the development said. According to these countries, Washington’s demand for trade retaliatory measures against India is unjustified.

In the face of sharp differences, the matter was referred to arbitration.... Read more..

250 smart poles for charging electric vehicles to be installed under the Smart City project in Hubballi-Dharwad

How about charging your electric vehicle from an electricity pole if you're stranded on the way? And how about browsing the internet free of cost by connecting your device to Wi-Fi hotspots on such poles? These are two of the many more services that 250 smart poles to be installed at many places in Hubballi-Dharwad will offer.

The project will be taken up under the Smart City project. Hubballi-Dharwad Smart... Read more..

Danish wind energy sets new record in 2017

Wind power accounted for a record high of 43.4 per cent of the total electricity consumption in Denmark in 2017, according to official data released on Thursday.

The new record surpasses the previous 2015 record of 42 per cent, keeping Denmark on track to reach its target of having 50 per cent of all electricity produced by wind power by 2020, figures from Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate... Read more..

IFC set to invest Rs 2,800 crore in Madhya Pradesh Solar park

In one of the biggest deals in the renewable energy space, International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of World Bank group, is close to investing $440 million or Rs 2,800 crore in Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Park in Madhya Pradesh.

The investment will be in the form of debt in three companies -- Mahindra Renewables, Acme and Actis -- that are setting up units in the solar park, a person close to IFC told ET. The... Read more..

Local solar manufacturers differ on safeguard duty suggestion

Indian solar manufacturers are divided in their reactions to the Directorate General of Safeguards’ recommendation of imposing provisional 70% safeguard duty on the import of solar cells for 200 days. While a section of Indian solar manufacturers welcome the proposal, some say that the levy will badly impact solar manufacturers operating out of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) across India.
Hitesh Doshi, chairman and managing director, Waaree Group, one of India’s largest solar module manufacturers which... Read more..

Punjab Energy Development Agency urges people to use renewable sources

Keeping in view increasing environmental concerns, the district administration has appealed everyone to adopt renewable sources of energy to meet their energy demands.

The Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Agarwal said this in context of 240 biogas plants which were to set up in the district in the last calendar year through Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA).

... Read more..

India mulls 70 per cent safegaurd duty on solar equipment imports

India has proposed to levy a 70 per cent safeguard duty on import of solar power equipment from countries like China for 200 days to protect domestic industry from "serious injury".

The Directorate General of Safeguards in a January 5 recommendation to the finance ministry said solar cells are "being imported into India in such increased quantities and under such conditions so as to cause or threaten to... Read more..

NTPC forced to cancel 250 Megawatt October 2017 solar auction

NTPC Ltd has been forced to cancel the result of its 250 mw solar auction held in October last year, which was won by Azure Power quoting a tariff of Rs 3.14 per unit.

The auction was held under the domestic content requirement (DCR) category, where the winning developer has to mandatorily source solar panels and modules from local manufacturers. It had to be cancelled because it would have fallen foul of... Read more..

EESL plans pan-India rollout of 9,500 electric vehicles this year

State-run Energy Efficiency Services (EESL) is trying to rope in more states and make a pan-India roll out of 9,500 electric vehicles this year, as the first 500 cars are ready to be delivered in Delhi next week.

EESL in August last year floated a tender for 10,000 electric cars. The first part of this tender required 500 vehicles to be rolled out, while the remaining are to be delivered in the second phase... Read more..