Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Pollutant level at all-time high in Delhi during morning hours

The national capital on Thursday saw one of the worst surges in the pollutant concentration in air during morning hours, with PM2.5 crossing the 700 level in east Delhi's Anand Vihar, while recorded as 'severe' and 'very poor' at several other places.

With stubble burning continuing in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, also revealed by the satellite images of NASA's Fire Mapper, the north-westerly... Read more..

Battery Costs in Stationary Energy Could Fall by up to 66%, Grow 17-Fold by 2030, Says IRENA

The cost of battery storage for stationary applications could fall by up to 66 per cent by 2030, according to a new report published today by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The falling price of batteries could stimulate 17-fold growth of installed battery storage, opening up a number of new commercial and economic opportunities, the report highlights. 

Launched during the ‘Innovation for... Read more..

New interpretation of customs rule for import of solar panels leaves solar developers stranded

A new interpretation of customs rules has jeopardised India’s solar energy projects, with officials demanding payment of import duties on crucial inputs that were previously always shipped in without any levy, leaving developers stranded as 90% of these modules are not produced in India. 

This has held up about 1,000 containers of solar modules at the Chennai port, affecting almost all the leading developers... Read more..

Telangana government rolls out IoT & e-waste management policies

The Telangana government has joined the select few states in the country that offer a government policy on "Internet of Things." It is being pitched as a comprehensive policy that aims to create a conducive ecosystem for all connected with this technology. Speaking to Business Today after the release of the policy on October 10, Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, IT&C and Industries and Commerce, Telangana government, said: "It has something to offer to those who are manufacturing products related to IoT... Read more..

Centre launches interactive online platform to give corporate push to Ganga cleaning

Facilitating private companies to undertake Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities for Ganga rejuvenation, the government on Wednesday launched an interactive web page on the National Mission for clean Ganga (NMCG) online platform. 

The exclusive web page, launched by Union water resources minister Nitin Gadkari, carries all details of projects and activities which can be taken up by corporate... Read more..

Green energy tariffs will fall further, help achieve targets: MNRE Secretary

 Renewable energy tariffs that have already tumbled to a record low will fall further and help India achieve its ambitious targets for generating green electricity, renewable energy secretary Anand Kumar said. However, project developers said they don’t expect wind power to get any cheaper.

Developers offered to supply power at Rs 2.64 per unit to win wind energy projects at an auction conducted by Solar... Read more..

Government calls for speedy implementation of power sector schemes in J&K

Union Minister of State for Power R K Singh today pitched for speedy implementation of various schemes being undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir's power sector for realising the Prime Minister's initiative of providing electricity to every household by December 2018.

Singh asked the concerned officials to take necessary measures for ensuring that the Prime Minister's initiative of 'power for all' is realised and... Read more..

U.S. formally proposes scrapping Obama's carbon-cutting plan

The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally proposed on Tuesday to scrap the agency's Obama-era plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, as the Trump administration seeks to slash fossil fuel regulation.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt issued a notice that the agency intended to repeal the Clean Power Plan, which it said relied on controversial calculations of economic costs and benefits.

... Read more..

World’s first 2 mm tempered solar glass facility opens in Bharuch

The world’s first fully tempered 2 mm solar glass production facility was inaugurated at Govali plant of Gujarat Borosil in Bharuch on Monday. It was was inaugurated by principal scientific advisor to Government of India and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr R Chidambaram.

“Production of 2 mm fully tempered solar glass will increase efficiency of the solar modules. This would further lower the cost of power and... Read more..

M&M in talks with Karnataka for investments to expand EV unit

Mahindra & Mahindra is in talks with the Karnataka government for further investments in the state as it looks at expanding capacity in its electric vehicles division Mahindra Electric. Karnataka’s large and medium industries minister RV Deshpande said he had a meeting with M&M chairman Anand Mahindra on Friday to discuss proposal.

“They’re also looking at Karnataka to invest,” he said. In a first,... Read more..

India to build natural gas trading platform: Dharmendra Pradhan

India will soon build a natural gas trading platform, which will help lead to transparent pricing and encourage investment in the sector, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said.

Most gas produced in India today is governed by a government-set price formula and certain sectors such as fertilizer and city gas get priority over others as gas consumers, mainly because local production is low and half of the... Read more..

Ganga mission nod for ₹700-cr worth projects

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) on Monday approved eight projects worth over ₹700 crore, four of which were for setting up sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Among others were three bio-remediation projects for treating drains dumping wastewater into the Ganga and one for inventorisation and surveillance of the river, a release issued by the Ministry of Water... Read more..