Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Electric vehicles can save ₹20 lakh crore by 2030: Union Minister

Stating that the Indian Auto sector must go global and look for a major share of the global electric auto market, Union Minister for Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey on Saturday said that the growth of the Auto Industry will help achieve India's commitment for "Panchamrita" given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in COP 26 and give huge employment opportunities to Indian youth.

Centre may shut all thermal plants near Delhi for now

Facing a 24-hour ultimatum from the Supreme Court, the environment ministry on Thursday held multiple meetings with officials of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on additional measures, including shutting down of all thermal power plants within a 300 km radius of Delhi for a limited period, which can be taken to bring down the level of air pollution immediately.

Though the ministry and the CAQM will take the final call on new measures before submitting their response to the apex court on Friday, officials discussed the... Read more..

India needs additional $1 trillion to achieve its climate goals: Govt to Rajya Sabha

India will require approximately $1 trillion by 2030 to achieve the India’s national goal on climate change which was announced at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP 26) last month, the Union environment ministry informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

To be sure, the announcements made at Glasgow are not yet nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Under the Paris Agreement, India submitted its NDCs in 2015 with three quantifiable targets, and they remain the same.

These included reducing the emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 33 to 35% by... Read more..

ONGC inks pact with SECI to develop renewable, ESG projects

In a bid to strengthen its footprint in the renewable space, particularly solar energy, state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Thursday signed an agreement with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to scale up its clean energy projects. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by ONGC

Chairman and Managing Director Subhash Kumar and SECI Managing Director Suman Sharma, a company statement said.

"The MoU provides a broad, overarching framework for ONGC and SECI to collaborate and cooperate for undertaking renewable energy projects including solar,... Read more..

Indian biogas industry can help reduce waste at landfill sites by 50 pc: IBA

Indian Biogas Association (IBA), an industry body of operators, manufacturers and planners of biogas plants, on Thursday said that the biogas industry can help reduce waste landing at landfill sites by almost 50 per cent in next three years. The per capita generation of waste in India stands at 0.4 kg, out of which roughly 50 per cent is organic in nature and can be potentially diverted to biogas plants, stated IBA in a statement.

TANGEDCO to set up solar power parks in each TN district

As part of efforts to address the growing demand, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) has proposed to set up Solar Power Parks (SPP) in each district. For this, the land identification process was initiated by the Public Sector Undertaking (PSU).

TANGEDCO sources in Chennai said, “Shortage of coal is a major concern across the country. The government of India will have to spend more money to import coal. So, the Centre has instructed all State governments to promote solar energy systems.” This apart, solar power stations would reduce procurement from... Read more..

Schneider aiming at increased component localisation for electricity meters in India

Schneider Electric, the 25 billion Euro multinational energy management and automation firm, is aiming at increasing the share of local components in electricity meters sold in India, its Executive Vice President, International Operations, Luc Remont has said.

The French company, which is implementing orders for 1.4 million smart meters in India, quoted Remont as saying in a statement that Schneider plays an important role in smart grid technology globally and is poised to provide the same in India with local engineering and delivery support.

"We aim to build our indigenous... Read more..

SJVN looks to set up more renewable energy projects in UP

State-owned power producer SJVN on Wednesday urged the Uttar Pradesh government to allot the company more renewable power projects in the state, after bagging the 75 megawatts (MW) solar project in Jalaun.

"A K Singh, director (finance), met Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath (on Wednesday) and briefed him about the progress being made in the allotted 75-MW solar project in Parasan Solar Park located at Jalaun," the company said in a statement.

Singh told the chief minister that SJVN has awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction of the project to... Read more..

Renewable electricity growth is accelerating faster than ever worldwide, supporting the emergence of the new global energy economy

The growth of the world’s capacity to generate electricity from solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable technologies is on course to accelerate over the coming years, with 2021 expected to set a fresh all-time record for new installations, the IEA says in a new report.

Despite rising costs for key materials used to make solar panels and wind turbines, additions of new renewable power capacity this year are forecast to rise to 290 gigawatts (GW) in 2021, surpassing the previous all-time high set last year, according to the latest edition of the IEA’s annual Renewables Market... Read more..

Eye on 30% electric vehicles by 2025, Goa govt gives nod to electric mobility policy

With the objective of boosting adoption of electric vehicles (EV) to at least 30% by 2025, the state government has approved the Goa Electric Mobility Promotion Policy (GEMPP) 2021. The policy aims to create 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the sector by 2025.

With the focus on establishing Goa as a model of international standards for EV adoption supported by a world-class charging infrastructure and ecosystem, the policy looks to promote conversion of Internal Combustion Engine (IEC) vehicles to EVs, convert 50% of all ferries to electric by 2025, and encourage start-ups and... Read more..

NITI Aayog bats for incentives to segregate waste at source

NITI Aayog has proposed imposing a fee on waste disposal to disincentive households to throw waste and instead be compelled to segregate it at source. The proposal is part of the fiscal incentives and disincentives proposed by the Aayog to encourage source segregation as India grapples with the surge in waste generation which is expected to increase three-fold by 2050.

The Aayog has proposed introduction of ‘Pay As You Throw’ policy which will entail a waste collection fee from the waste generator in proportion to the total quantity of waste being disposed of.

“Waste... Read more..

Indonesia's carbon trade trial indicates taxable emissions

Indonesia's energy ministry recorded around a million tonnes of taxable carbon emissions during a recent trial covering 32 coal power plants, a senior official said on Monday, as the country prepares to launch a carbon trading mechanism.

The world's eighth-biggest green house gas emitter aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and to use a carbon tax and trading to help control emissions.

Indonesia will start charging a carbon tax of 30,000 rupiah ($2.09) per tonne of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) next April, levied on coal-fired power plant operators with emissions above a set... Read more..