Sustainability Outlook Headlines

ABB India achieves 5 gigawatt milestone for solar inverters

ABB India has achieved the 5 gigawatt milestone for solar inverters. From schools to airports, canal tops and mega solar plants, ABB's solar inverters power solar installations across the country.

According to market reports, India is set to become the third largest solar market in 2017, and is expected to touch about 5 per cent of the global solar capacity.

Azure Power and ABB India's senior leadership were present at an event to mark the 5GW milestone journey supported by ABB customers in India.

The event took place at ABB's solar inverter factory in Bengaluru.... Read more..

PMC uses cycle funds for waste management

The general body of the Pune Municipal Corporation has diverted about Rs10 crore from the budget allocated to the proposed bicycle plan for carrying out cleaning work in wards, prompting criticism from the patrons of sustainable transport in the city.

"The civic cycle project is very important. Its money should not have been diverted. The civic administration should have opposed the diversion stressing that promotion of cycles was important for sustainable transport in the city," said Sujit Patwardhan of Parisar organization.

The civic officials said nearly 50 proposals had... Read more..

Smart solar lamp for museum campus

The capital city may soon boast about being the first city in the country to have solar energy-powered street lamps, which can be monitored and maintained from a distance using remote sensing technology.

A city-based private company has already given a proposal to the state local self-government department to install the innovative lamps which work on a technology platform with pre-set timers to automatically switch it on and off, at public places including parks and roads.

"The company has successfully installed and tested its first solar street lamp at the city museum... Read more..

Vaisala boosting solar services in India

Global environmental and industrial analysis firm Vaisala said it was expanding its solar sector operations in India due to demand with plans to double its workforce in the country by the end of 2017.

A subsidiary of the company, 3TIER India has moved to larger headquarters in Bangalore to support the expansion, driven by the expectation of more than 10GW of solar and 6GW of wind energy being installed in India annually over the next 5 years, to meet the federal target of 175GW of renewables by 2022. 

"The Indian solar and wind sectors are growing more competitive day by day... Read more..

Arinsun Clean Energy to develop 250-Mw solar park in MP for $200 mn

Actis Energy Fund-backed Arinsun Clean Energy Private Limited will develop a 250-Mw solar park at a cost of $200 million at the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Park in Madhya Pradesh. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is planning to back the project.

The project was won by Solenergi Power Private Ltd (SPPL), a company instituted under ACTIS Energy Fund 4, within the 750-MWac Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Park in the Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh.

The project will be developed by Arinsun Clean Energy Private Ltd, a subsidiary of SPPL.

The solar park is located across five... Read more..

Indian Energy Exchange all powered up to launch IPO by December

Private equity-backed Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) aims to hit the capital market with its initial public offering before December, which would make it the first energy exchange to be listed in the country, managing director Satyanarayan Goel said. 

Earlier this month, the bourse received approval from capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India for its IPO. The issue will be an offer of shares for sale from existing investors. While most investors are trimming their respective shareholding, Tata Power Company will be exiting its investment. 

“We will be... Read more..

Wind power tariff in Tamil Nadu drops to 3.42/unit, lowest in country

The cost of wind power in Tamil Nadu has fallen to 3.42 per unit, the lowest in the country. The price now is 4 paise lower than that quoted in the Union renewable power ministry's wind power tender bid. On Monday, when the wind power price bids were opened, Tangedco found ReGen Power Tech Company had bid for 3.42 per unit for a capacity of 200MW.

"Wind power companies had gone to court on the lower tariff. The case is pending and the letter of allocation will be given only after court disposes the case. At the same time, the court said the tender process can go on and this is why... Read more..

Mahagenco invites bids for 200 MW solar plant

As a part of its plan to set up 2,500-MW solar capacity over the next five years, the state-run generation company Mahagenco has invited tenders to set up 200-MW capacity across Maharashtra.

Maharashtra State Electricity Generation Company, or Mahagenco, has invited bids of 50 MW each to be developed across the western, western/northern, Vidarbha and the Marathwada regions of the state to in public private partnerships.

Under the state government’s 2015 renewable energy policy, 7,500-MW solar power will be developed over the next five years. Of which, 2,500 MW will be... Read more..

IL&FS plans bond issue to refinance Rs6,000 crore debt

Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS) plans to hit the domestic bond market to refinance almost Rs6,000 crore (about $940 million) of debt, said a senior executive.

The debt was taken to finance the 9.2km Chenani-Nashri project in Jammu and Kashmir—the country’s longest road tunnel.

Overall, IL&FS plans to refinance debt to the tune of Rs15,000 crore this financial year, said Ramesh C. Bawa, managing director and chief executive at IL&FS Financial Services Ltd. The refinancing plan envisages tapping alternative sources including green bonds and... Read more..

NITI Aayog wants relaxed e-waste norms

With the NITI Aayog readying red carpet for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad in November, key ministries have been asked if the electronic waste policy could be revisited. 

“We have asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Commerce if the demands of entrepreneurs can be looked into for relaxation in the e-waste policy,” said a senior official of the NITI Aayog.The policy mandates that the manufacturers collect 30 per cent of electronic garbage in the first two years, which would be scaled up to 40 per cent in the third year. However,... Read more..

Kolhapur Municipal Corporation to test treated water every week

The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) has independently started testing the treated waste water samples from sewage treatment plant (STP) at Kasba Bawada.

The decision has been taken after the draft environment status report (ESR) prepared by a third party slammed the civic administration for failing to effectively treat the waste water.

The draft ESR claimed that parameters like biological oxygen demand (BOD) is on the higher side which means the amount of pollutants in the treated water is bad and should not be released in Panchganga river.
Abhijeet Chaudhari,... Read more..

NITI Aayog pitches for 24x7 power, electric vehicles in 100 smart cities in its Three-Year Action Agenda

Government think tank NITI Aayog has pitched for 24x7 electricity for all, bringing reforms in diesel and petrol pricing, and city gas distribution in 100 smart cities in its Three-Year Action Agenda released today.

The document, unveiled by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, also calls for steps to promote electric cooking and adoption of electric vehicles.
Besides, the Aayog has also suggested the government to ensure availability of electricity, petrol, diesel and gas at competitive prices to households, in the document to be implemented by 2019-20.

According to the... Read more..