You are here
Sustainability Outlook Headlines
India lowers solar tariffs to favour local productionIn the second week of April 2020, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced a reduction in tariff by 70 paisa to INR 2.8 (USD 4 cents) per unit under the second phase of the Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) programme, for the development 12 GW of solar projects. The ministry also increased the timeframe for implementation of these projects from 18 to 24 months. An order from the MNRE’s office amending the scheme stated, “The usage charge would not be more than Rs 2.8 per unit, which shall be exclusive to any other third party charges like wheeling and... Read more.. Date : May 20 Source: India Climate Dialog
|
Curbs are wind in sails for green firmsThe nearly two-month-long lockdown has drastically cut pollution levels in India and influenced local weather, thereby improving solar radiation and wind patterns, bringing cheer to solar and wind energy developers. While this has helped improve electricity generation, it comes at a time when the lockdown has led to a drop in the country’s power demand. The lockdown, one of the world’s strictest, has now been extended till 31 May although many restrictions have been eased. “The lockdown has had a positive impact on renewable power generation. We are seeing an over 5-10%... Read more.. Date : May 19 Source: Livemint
|
India’s Solar, Wind Capacity Installation Falls 70% in Q1 2020The solar and wind energy installations in India fell short by 70 percent with 720 MW of solar energy and 188 MW of wind energy projects installed during the January-March quarter of 2020, as compared to the previous quarter, as per the research and advisory services provider firm. On a yearly basis, India commissioned 35 GW of solar capacity and 38 GW of wind capacity as of March 31, 2020. However, the current pipeline of solar, wind and hybrid projects stood at 37 GW which is likely to be commissioned in the next 2-3 years. While, another 34 GW of projects are under bidding phase where... Read more.. Date : May 19 Source: Saur Energy International
|
India prepares to evacuate a million as Cyclone Amphan nearsIndia is preparing to evacuate more than a million people, with a “super-cyclone” due to hit the country this week and cause devastation in vulnerable areas. The Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha, as well as coastal areas of Bangladesh, have been put on high alert over Cyclone Amphan, which is gathering strength as it moves across the Bay of Bengal and is due to make landfall on Wednesday. Heavy rains, storm surges and high winds with speeds of up to 115mph are expected to pummel the east Indian and Bangladesh coast, causing flooding and power outages and uprooting... Read more.. Date : May 19 Source: The Guradian
|
Post-COVID there is a case for a greener GNPEven before the upending of the world as we knew it by COVID-19, there had been disquiet for some time over the slowing global economy, in the backdrop of the trade dispute between the US and China. India’s growth had also slowed markedly, falling below 5%, with calls to stimulate the economy. Now, it is anyone’s guess whether it could even drop to as low as 2-2.5% due to the pandemic. While we are not strangers to pandemics and disease outbreaks, the emerging zoonotic viral diseases are a result of large-scale changes in the environment, habitat modification and human food... Read more.. Date : May 19 Source: Mongabay
|
SECI extends bid submission deadline for 14-MW solar projects in Leh, KargilThe Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) on Monday extended the bid submission deadline for setting up 14-megawatt (MW) solar with a battery storage capacity of 42 MWh in Leh and Kargil to 30 June, 2020. The earlier deadline for submission of bids was 1 June, 2020. SECI had issued a tender for the solar power project under Prime Minister Development Package, 2015, in February this year. In March, renewable energy minister R K Singh had informed Parliament that the government was planning for two solar plants each of 7 MW capacity with 21 MWh battery energy storage... Read more.. Date : May 19 Source: ET Energy World
|
Union territories power discoms to be privatised: Nirmala SitharamanIndia will privatize electricity distribution companies (discoms) in all its eight union territories, said finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday. The announcement was made as part of the fourth tranche of the Rs20 trillion stimulus package to fight the economic adversity due to the coronavirus pandemic. “It will lead to better services to consumers and improvement in operational and financial efficiency in distribution," Sitharaman said. Unlike discoms in states governed by the respective state governments, those in Union territories are directly administered by the central... Read more.. Date : May 18 Source: Livemint
|
NTPC Tenders for Solar Modules Package for Solapur ProjectNTPC Ltd has issued a tender, inviting bids from eligible vendors and bidders for the supply and installation of solar PV modules worth 33.6 MWp at the Solapur PV Project in Maharashtra. The scope of work for the selected bidders will include the manufacturing, supply, packaging and forwarding, transportation, supervision of installation and supervision of the commissioning of the solar PV modules (crystalline – minimum 330 Wp nominal rating) of nominal DC capacity of 33.6 MWp. The firm plans to finance the subject package through its own resources. The last date for bid submission is June... Read more.. Date : May 18 Source: Saur Energy International
|
KKR, Actis Vie for 400-MW solar assets of Azure Power; Rs 1,600 cr deal size likelyKKR, Actis, Edelweiss Infrastructure and Ayana Renewable Power are in early talks to acquire about 400 megawatt solar energy projects in Rajasthan and Assam from Azure Power Global, multiple people aware of the development said. They pegged the deal size at ₹1,600-1,700 crore, or about $225 million. Avendus Capital is advising Azure Power for the asset sale. “To streamline our asset base, we have reached out to some investment bankers for options,” a spokesperson of Azure Power said. “We are still exploring our options and no decision has been taken as yet.” Spokespersons of global private... Read more.. Date : May 18 Source: ET Energy World
|
Sustainable funds in India attract $500 million during Covid-19 selloffSustainable funds in India have shown resilience during the coronavirus-triggered market selloff and attracted more than $500 million (over Rs 3,700 crore) in January-March largely due to growing investor interest in environmental, social and governance issues, says a report. Sustainable or ESG (environmental, social, and governance) funds in Asia (excluding Japan) witnessed an inflow of over $900 million during the quarter under review, according to the report by Morningstar. Such funds offer exposure to themes such as renewable energy, low carbon, green transport and environmental... Read more.. Date : May 18 Source: The Economic Times
|
Activists want no extension of clearance to Himachal hydro projectClose to 1,000 representatives of environmental action groups, locals and academics have asked the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change not to grant extension of clearance to the state-run Kashang hydropower project in geologically fragile Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. Citing April 30 natural calamity, they said a large portion of a steep mountain in Kinnaur district slipped down to Pangi village, destroying apple orchards and killing a Nepali migrant worker. This area in the high Himalayas, falling in the Satluj Valley, which is known for its geological and ecological... Read more.. Date : May 18 Source: ET Energy World
|
Electric vehicles to take a back seat in IndiaThe novel coronavirus has certainly put a few debates to end and certainly the advancements in the electric vehicles is one of them. Many industry leaders believe that at a time, when automakers and suppliers who are heavily invested into internal combustion engine technology are looking out to sell products on the same manes of mobility, rather divert to the electric vehicles segment due to the economic downturn. Automobile OEMs have invested around Rs 40,000 crore to upgrade their facilities and products, while the auto component industry has put in another Rs 30,000 crore to upgrade to... Read more.. Date : May 18 Source: ET Auto
|
Discoms’ Liquidity Infusion via Loan Positive for Gencos, But Losses to Shoot Up by Rs 270 Bn in FY21: ICRAGovernment’s Rs 900 billion liquidity support under Atmanirbhar Bharat package for state power distribution utilities (Discoms) is a much welcome measure, said ICRA a leading credit rating agency. However, this liquidity infusion in Discoms will be in the form of loans against receivables, from major power sector lenders Power Financial Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC). The government’s move was in response to the adverse impact on the revenues and cash collections of Discoms due to lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus. These loans are to be backed by... Read more.. Date : May 15 Source: Saur Energy International
|
Tender Issued for 19,000 Solar Street Lights Under MNRE Scheme in PunjabThe Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) has issued a tender, inviting bids from eligible vendors and firms for the work of designing and commissioning of 19,000 solar street lights in the state under the MNRE off-grid and decentralised solar PV applications scheme. The scope of work for the selected bidders will include the design, manufacture, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of 19000 solar street lights including complete system warranty and its maintenance under an annual maintenance contract for a period of 5 years. The maintenance service provided shall ensure the... Read more.. Date : May 15 Source: Saur Energy International
|
Gurugram-based JBM Solar plans to set-up 100 MW projects by next yearGurugram-based independent power producer JBM Solar, part of the JBM Group, is planning to set-up 100 megawatt (MW) of solar power projects by next year, it’s Executive Director Nishant Arya told ETEnergyWorld. "We have 100 MW projects in the pipeline, which will be completed by next year. The investment would be done at the rate of Rs 4 crore per MW," said Arya. He added that more than 95 per cent of these projects would be ground-mounted. In these difficult times, he said one of the relief measures the industry seeks is a reduction in the goods and services tax (GST) on some goods in the... Read more.. Date : May 15 Source: ET Energy World
|
India’s electric vehicle component market to grow 22% per year for a decadeIndia’s electric vehicle (EV) component market will grow 22.1% annually up to 2030, from a base of $536 million (Rs4,054 crore) last year, according to U.S. market research company P&S Intelligence. The fastest growth will be driven by demand caused by the roll-out of electric vehicles for shared transport, including by taxi aggregators such as Uber. The P&S study predicts battery management systems for passenger car battery packs will register the highest annual growth – 61.7% – over the next decade. The management systems ensure batteries do not operate beyond safe limits and... Read more.. Date : May 15 Source: PV Magazine India
|
Climate Change Might Trigger El Niño-like Pattern Over Indian Ocean by 2050: StudyGlobal warming continues to impact the weather patterns across the world in myriad ways. Now, a new study has revealed that in the upcoming years the Indian Ocean will experience an unprecedented increase in the sea temperature due to global warming. The warming could be so intense that it could trigger a new climate pattern in the Indian Ocean, similar to El Niño over the Pacific Ocean, by 2050. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is periodic yet erratic variation in winds and sea surface temperatures over the Pacific Ocean that affects the global weather patterns. The positive phase... Read more.. Date : May 15 Source: The Weather Channel
|
Power discoms get ₹90,000 crore liquidity lifelineThe government on Wednesday announced a ₹90,000 crore liquidity injection into fund-starved electricity distribution companies (discoms) as part of a stimulus package to revive the country’s battered economy. The announcement, made by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is one of the measures in the first tranche of a stimulus package to combat the economic disruption that has worsened the already precarious finances of discoms. “Discoms today are facing unprecedented cash-flow problems," Sitharaman said. Electricity demand load shifted to homes during the lockdown, resulting in lower... Read more.. Date : May 14 Source: Livemint
|
Power Demand Dropped 24% in April Due to Lockdown: CRISILWith almost no economic activity taking place in the first 20 days of April due to lockdown, and very little operations after that, power demand declined sharply by 24 percent in the month, Crisil Research said. The 21-day lockdown to fight the spread of coronavirus, which was supposed to end on April 14, was extended till May 3 and later till May 17. The government relaxed the lockdown in certain non-hotspot zones from April 20, but that did not help in boosting the demand. According to the rating agency, states with the highest industrial activities, especially in the manufacturing... Read more.. Date : May 14 Source: Saur Energy International
|
Another bidding extension for SCCL’s 81 MW solar projectsThe Solar Energy Corporation of India, on behalf of state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), had invited bids to set up an aggregate 81 MW solar capacity at the coal miner’s different sites in Telangana. In yet another extension, bidding for 34 MW (AC) ground based solar project has been allowed until June 12—against the previous deadline of May 13. The 34 MW grid-connected, ground-mounted projects—to be set on turnkey basis—shall come up at SCCL’s Chennur (11 MW) and Kothagudam (23 MW) sites. Bids for 32 MW (AC) solar plant can be submitted till June 15 against the... Read more.. Date : May 14 Source: PV Magazine India
|
India Must Intensify Policy Reforms to hit 60 GW Wind Target by 2022: ReportAccording to a new report, wind energy capacity in India can only realistically reach 50 GW by 2022. And, efforts by the government to lower barriers around market design, grid infrastructure and land allocation must be intensified, in order to revive auction appetite and resolve the execution challenges facing India’s wind market and reach the country’s ambitious 175 GW renewable energy target by 2022, of which 60 GW is due to come from wind energy. The report, “India Wind Outlook Towards 2022: Looking beyond the headwinds” by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and MEC+, highlighted... Read more.. Date : May 14 Source: Saur Energy International
|
Around 1,000 GWh of battery manufacturing capacity needed to meet global EV target by 2025The world needs battery manufacturing capacity of 1,000 Gigawatt hour (GWh) per year by 2025 to meet the global target for electric vehicle (EV) transition, said International Energy Agency (IEA). "If the global auto industry’s announced targets for electric vehicle production are met despite the Covid-19 crisis, around 1,000 GWh of battery manufacturing capacity would be needed in 2025," IEA said in a note. The agency added the world’s capacity to make battery cells has expanded rapidly in recent years and currently manufacturing operations globally can produce around 320 GWh of batteries... Read more.. Date : May 14 Source: ET Energy World
|
Govt may lower tariffs to bail out power sectorIndia will shortly announce a power sector package that may involve a temporary tariff reduction, concessional finance, and payment of around ₹1 trillion dues of electricity distribution companies (discoms), two government officials said, as part of the stimulus plan announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening. The stimulus package, details of which are awaited, is aimed at combating the economic disruption from the coronavirus lockdown. As factories stayed shut during the lockdown, India’s electricity demand load shifted to homes, resulting in lower realizations. With... Read more.. Date : May 13 Source: Livemint
|
India Up at 74th Place on WEF's Global Energy Transition IndexIndia has moved up two positions to rank 74th on a global 'Energy Transition Index' with improvements on all key parameters of economic growth, energy security and environmental sustainability, the World Economic Forum (WEF) said on Wednesday. Releasing the annual rankings, the Geneva-based international organisation for public-private cooperation said COVID-19 will compromise the transition to clean energy without an urgent stakeholder action as unprecedented disruptions due to the pandemic threaten this transition. In its report, the WEF said its study measuring readiness for clean... Read more.. Date : May 13 Source: News18
|
IEEFA: Ultra-mega solar parks driving India’s clean energy transitionUltra-mega solar parks have attracted foreign capital as well as top global developers to India, and in return provided investors with an opportunity to join a US$500-700 billion renewable energy and grid infrastructure investment boom in the coming decade, says a new IEEFA report. The report titled India’s Utility-Scale Solar Parks —A Global Success Story provides an update on the Indian solar parks covering execution model, top developers and tariffs. The ultra-mega power plant concept involves a state government or local distribution company providing a single central grid connection... Read more.. Date : May 13 Source: PV Magazine India
|
