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Sustainability Outlook Headlines

U.S. Senate passes bill to ban all products from China's Xinjiang

WASHINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate passed legislation on Wednesday to ban the import of products from China's Xinjiang region, the latest effort in Washington to punish Beijing for what U.S. officials say is an ongoing genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim groups. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act would create a "rebuttable presumption" assuming goods manufactured in Xinjiang are made with forced labor and therefore banned under the 1930 Tariff Act, unless otherwise certified by U.S. authorities. Passed by unanimous consent, the bipartisan measure would shift the... Read more..

Source: Reuters

IITM organizes virtual workshop with industry stakeholders on weather forecasts needed for wind and solar energy sectors - Wind energy sector needs very highly localized and location specific high frequency forecast in every 15-20 mins: Secretary, Earth S

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), in its 2021-26 plan period, will further strengthen forecasting activities related to energy sector, stated Dr. M. Rajeevan, Secretary- MoES in a workshop on “Meteorological Forecast for Wind and Solar Energy Generation: Current Status And Future Perspectives” held in virtual mode today. Stating that the Government of India is exploring all possible options of going for New and Renewable Energy and cut down on fossil fuel emission, Dr. Rajeevan noted that MoES has a social responsibility to help the industries which are working on wind and energy... Read more..

Source: PIB

IndiGrid InvIT Completes Rs 660 crore Acquisition Of Fotowatio’s India Solar Assets - The investment marks the first solar generation assets to be part of an InvIT in India

Infrastructure investment trust IndiGrid on Wednesday said it has completed the acquisition of entire stake in two solar energy assets with cumulative capacity of 100 MW from Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) at an enterprise value of Rs 660 crore. IndiGrid's acquisition of its first solar asset is an important milestone in the Indian infrastructure sector as this marks the first renewable energy acquisition by any InvIT in the country, the company said in a statement. "India Grid Trust, India's first power infrastructure investment trust (InvIT), announced the completion of acquisition... Read more..

Source: Business Standard

K’taka govt unveils policy allowing electric bike taxis to operate

Karnataka govt has announced a new policy that allows electric bike taxis to run on the road for a limited distance. The announcement of the new policy was made by the state's chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa. In a tweet, Yediyurappa said, "Released the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme 2021 today. The new policy enhances ease of living and creates self-employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in urban mobility." Under the new policy for electric bikes, organisations or individuals will be able to register their e-bikes as taxis. However, the bikes will have to clearly mention the... Read more..

Source: Livemint

Waaree Energy Storage System announces partnership with Zypp Electric

New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) Waaree Energy Storage System has partnered with Zypp Electric to supply lithium batteries to strengthen the latter''s two-wheeler category. This partnership will mobilize clean energy technology with innovative high-tech battery management to build an environment friendly logistics ecosystem, a company statement said. "Waaree Energy Storage System (WESS) expands supply of lithium batteries to strengthen Zypp Electric’s two-wheeler category and facilitate state-of-the-art energy solutions," the statement added. The tailor-made system with remote monitoring will... Read more..

Source: Outlook

Mumbai Angels Network invests in energy storage startup Indi Energy

Mumbai Angels Network, a premium startup investment platform for early-stage venture investments, has invested in Indi Energy, an energy storage startup committed to developing energy storage technologies such as Lithium-ion and Sodium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, supercapacitors, etc. as a part of its seed round. While the funding amount remains undisclosed, Indi Energy will be utilising the funds in bolstering its R&D, and scaling up its proprietary Sodium-ion battery technology. Akash Soni, Co-founder and CEO, Indi Energy said, “Indi Energy is on a mission to develop low-... Read more..

Source: Your Story

Maharashtra govt issues EV policy, aims to make 10% of new vehicle registrations under electric

Maharashtra government has rolled out a revised EV (electric vehicle) policy in a move for a cleaner environment and amid the big EV push in the country. The government aims at 10% of newly registered vehicles in its major cities to be electric ones by 2025. It also targets to have around 1,500 charging stations in Mumbai itself by 2025 along with converting 15% of MSRTC buses to electric. As per the notification, the state government will give demand and supply side incentives to generate demand and incentivize production of such vehicles. Incentives will also be given for setting up... Read more..

Source: Livemint

EU unveils tough climate rules, eyes tax on foreign firms

The European Union unveiled sweeping new legislation Wednesday to help meet its pledge to cut emissions of the gases that cause global warming by 55% over this decade, including a controversial plan to tax foreign companies for the pollution they cause. The legislation presented by the EU's executive branch, the European Commission, encompasses about a dozen major proposals, ranging from the de-facto phasing out of gasoline and diesel cars by 2035 to new levies on gases from heating buildings. They involve a revamp of the bloc's emissions trading program, under which companies pay for... Read more..

Source: Energy World

NTPC to set up India’s single largest solar park at Rann of Kutch

NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd , a 100% subsidiary of NTPC, has received the go-ahead from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to set up 4750 MW renewable energy park at Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat. This will be India’s largest solar park to be built by the largest power producer of the country. NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL), has been given the go-ahead by MNRE on 12th July 2021 under Mode 8 (Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Park) of Solar Park Scheme. NTPC REL has plans to generate green hydrogen on a commercial scale from this park. As a part of its green energy... Read more..

Source: Press Release

NTPC REL signs MoU with Union Territory of Ladakh to setup country’s first green Hydrogen Mobility project

New Delhi, 13th July 2021: NTPC REL, a 100% subsidiary of NTPC, signed a MoU with Union Territory of Ladakh, to setup country’s first green Hydrogen Mobility project in the region. The signing of the MoU was also marked with the inauguration of NTPC’s first solar installations in Leh in form of solar trees and a solar car port. The MoU was signed in the august presence of hon’ble Lt. Governer R K Mathur, senior dignitaries of government, NTPC and public representatives. The MoU will enable NTPC to help Ladakh develop a carbon free economy based on renewable sources and green hydrogen. This... Read more..

Source: NTPC

Ceat ties up with Tata Power to set up captive solar plant for Mumbai facility

New Delhi: Tyre maker Ceat on Tuesday said it has tied up with Tata Power to establish a 10MW captive solar plant at the latter's Solapur site for powering its tyre manufacturing facility in Bhandup (Mumbai). Tata Power has created a special purpose vehicle (SPV) -- TP Akkalkot Renewable Ltd -- which will be responsible for undertaking the construction, operation and maintenance of this captive solar power plant, Ceat said in a release. While Ceat will hold 26 per cent stake in the SPV, Tata power will own 74 per cent, as per the captive generation rules, it said. "Through TP Akkalkot, we... Read more..

Source: Energy World

Reliance Industries considers bid for India’s solar incentives in green push

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd. is considering a bid for Indian government incentives for solar power manufacturing, as the fossil-fuels giant begins a $10 billion push into clean energy, according to people familiar with the plans. Reliance, India’s most valuable company, attended a pre-bid meeting held last month to discuss the subsidy program, the people said, asking not to be named as the information is private. The talks underline Ambani’s ambitions for the company to make rapid growth in renewable energy to supplement its existing businesses. Reliance said last... Read more..

Source: Mint Newsletters

India committed to support Africa's energy transition through deployment of clean energy technologies: EAM

New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): Emphasising that African nations have shown "great interest" in the India-led International Solar Alliance, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said New Delhi is committed to supporting Africa's energy transition through rapid deployment of clean energy technologies. Addressing a virtual event, Jaishankar said India's activities and initiatives in African nations are designed to respond to the needs of Africa and the priority of its people. "India is committed to supporting Africa's energy transition through rapid deployment of clean energy... Read more..

Source: ANI News

Engineer Makes Carbon-Negative Bricks That Cut Construction Cost By 50%

Many of us focus on plantation drives and opting for environment-friendly products to reduce carbon emissions. But in the process, we tend to overlook, or are unaware altogether, that the very walls surrounding us in our homes are also massive contributors to climate change. Gravel, sand, and cement extracted from the earth and mixed together with water have created a recipe for disaster. The problem becomes evident if we understand the process of making cement. Raw material such as limestone and clay comes from quarries. The materials are crushed and mixed with iron ore or ash and fed to... Read more..

Source: The Better India

India wants rich countries to pay more for green energy shift

India can’t prioritize eliminating greenhouse gas emissions without sufficient financing from richer nations to help offset the high cost of transitioning to clean energy, according to a senior government official. In laying out its position ahead of key global climate talks later this year, the top bureaucrat in India’s environment ministry also said the country doesn’t plan to tighten its emissions goals unless more money is promised from developed economies under the United Nations-sponsored climate change agreement. “Every policy decision has a cost to the economy. Going net-zero or... Read more..

Source: Mint Newsletters

Ola Electric raises $100 million long term debt

Ola Electric and Bank of Baroda have signed the largest long-term debt financing agreement in the Indian EV industry on Monday. Ola would use this 10-year debt of $100 million to complete Phase 1 of its Futurefactory, Ola’s global manufacturing hub for electric two-wheelers coming up at Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu at an investment of Rs 2,400 crore. “Today’s agreement for long term debt financing between Ola and Bank of Baroda signals the confidence of the institutional lenders in our plans to build the world’s largest two-wheeler factory in record time,'' said Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman... Read more..

Source: The Hindu

Hero MotoCorp plans to go beyond 2Ws with focus on electric and modular mobility solutions

New Delhi: The country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp said on Monday that it is looking beyond the traditional mobility space and is already making investments in electric mobility products, both personal and mass transit. The company also aims to strengthen its focus on the premium motorcycles and scooters segment in Bangladesh, Nepal, Latin America and Africa. Pawan Munjal, chairman and chief executive officer, Hero Motocorp, said in the company’s Annual report for 2020-21, “We have already declared our next ambitious goal – we will achieve the target of the next 100 million... Read more..

Source: Energy World

Bud APAC Closes First Green Financing Loan of USD500 Million to Incentivize and Accelerate its ESG Performance

(Hong Kong, 12 July 2021) Budweiser Brewing Company APAC ("Bud APAC", SEHK:1876) today announced the successful signing of a total USD500 million Sustainability-Linked Loan Revolving Credit Facilities ("Green Financing Loan") with a bank consortium led by Bank of China, one of the largest of this kind among publicly listed consumer goods companies in Asia Pacific. The Green Financing Loan has a three-year term with a tiered discount on the loan's interest rate if Bud APAC achieves pre-determined ESG targets. These targets incentivize improvement in four key performance areas that... Read more..

Source: Budweiser APAC

Europe's climate masterplan aims to slash emissions within a decade; The policies, if approved, would put the bloc - the world's third-largest economy - on track to meet its 2030 goal of reducing planet-warming emissions by 55% from 1990 levels.

The European Union is set to take the lead in climate policy action among the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters this week, with a raft of ambitious plans designed to cut emissions drastically over the next decade. The policies, if approved, would put the bloc - the world's third-largest economy - on track to meet its 2030 goal of reducing planet-warming emissions by 55% from 1990 levels. The "Fit for 55" package being released on Wednesday will face months of negotiations between the 27 EU countries and the European Parliament. Other major economies including China and the United... Read more..

Source: Energy World

Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurates country’s First Private LNG Facility plant at Nagpur, emphasizes on importance of alternate biofuels for diversification of agriculture towards energy and power sector

Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari has emphasized on importance of alternate biofuels for diversification of agriculture towards energy and power sector . Inaugurating the country’s first Private LNG Facility plant at Nagpur today he said in our economy we are spending 8 lakh crores for the import of petrol diesel and petroleum products which is a big challenge .

The Minister said we have designed a policy that encourages development of imports substitute cost effective pollution free and indigenous ethanol, bio CNG,LNG and hydrogen fuels. He said the... Read more..

Source: PIB

Goa to subsidise 11,000 electric vehicles annually for five years

In a bid to reduce the state’s carbon footprint, the government has decided to provide subsidies to 11,000 electric vehicles every year for a period of five years. The subsidy will be capped at Rs 25 crore annually. As per the draft scheme for promotion of electric vehicles in the state, every year for the next five years, subsidy will be given to 10,000 two wheelers not exceeding Rs 10 crore per year, 500 three wheelers not exceeding Rs 1crore and around 500 four wheelers not exceeding Rs 14 crore. The subsidy will be given on a first come first serve basis, a senior official said.

... Read more..
Source: ET Energy World

Hero Electric raises Rs 220 crore from investors GII and OAKS

Hero Electric Vehicles, India’s largest electric vehicles maker has announced the first part of their Series B funding of Rs 220 crores. Gulf Islamic Investments (GII) led the round along with participation from OAKS. The company will direct this investment towards the objective of further supporting the EV industry and ecosystem. The electric 2-wheeler market leader will allocate this investment towards expanding production capacity, consolidating market position to strengthen market leadership, invest in technology and grow footprint across India like markets, the Gurugram-based company... Read more..

Source: Moneycontrol

Centre may introduce annual service-based ratings for power utilities

The Centre would introduce an annual service-oriented rating programme for power utilities that would be ranked on metrics such as duration and quality of electricity supplies, billing and collection efficiency, and grievance redressal. REC is the nodal agency for the programme assessing customer centricity. "The government feels we should have consumer service ratings of distribution utilities that should be consumer-centric," a senior government official told ET. "The idea is to start measuring the services and their quality. Also, this makes the discoms realise where they stand in terms... Read more..

Source: ET Energy World

Stellantis: 98 per cent of models to be electric or hybrid by 2025

Stellantis is a little late to the global electric vehicle party, but on Thursday it pledged to catch up and pass its competitors. CEO Carlos Tavares says that by 2025, 98 per cent of its models in Europe and North America will have fully electric or plug-in gas-electric hybrid versions. He says the company that combined Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot is developing four fully electric vehicle platforms with ranges from 500 kilometers (311 miles) to 800 kilometers (497 miles). It also will have three electric drive modules to power all of its vehicles, and Stellantis will take advantage of its... Read more..

Source: ET Energy World

Renewables surged in 2020 but world not yet on track for climate goals, BP says

Wind and solar power capacity expanded rapidly in 2020 while global energy demand cratered because of the pandemic, yet this did not yet reflect a "decisive shift" towards meeting U.N.-backed climate goals, BP said in its annual energy review. Last year witnessed the biggest fall in carbon emissions in more than 75 years, putting the world closer to the path needed to hit a target of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius this century, BP's 2020 Statistical Review said. "Importantly, there was no sign of the decisive shift envisaged" by the less than 2 degrees Celsius scenario, BP... Read more..

Source: Reuters
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