Sustainability Outlook Headlines

India sees slower shift to electric vehicles

India’s shift to electric vehicles (EV) has to be “gradual,” a government adviser said, signaling that the country may have further watered down its ambitions of having green vehicles comprise about a third of its fleet by 2030.

India needs to push for EVs in a consistent manner over a long period of time and ensure that automobile jobs stay unaffected as the country moves toward battery-driven vehicles,... Read more..

Date : Jul 11

Source: The Economic Times

Seminar on business opportunities in India's solar sector held in China

More than 110 Chinese companies attended a seminar here on business opportunities in the solar sector in India aimed at wooing Chinese manufacturers to invest in India, an embassy statement said today.

The seminar organised... Read more..

Date : Jul 11

Source: Business Standard

Vadodara airport to switch to solar power soon

The Vadodara airport will soon switch over to solar energy for its everyday operations to cut down its electricity cost, said a senior airport official.

"The airport is all set to start using clean and green energy for its day-to-day operations, as its ground-mounted grid-connected solar plant is ready for commissioning," Vadodara airport Director Charan Singh said. The solar plant will meet 50 ... Read more..

Date : Jul 11

Source: The Economic Times

2,000 MW wind energy auction by Solar Energy Corporation under-subscribed

India’s latest bidding for 2,000 MW wind energy capacity has been undersubscribed by 800 MW, and there is a chance that the tender may be scrapped as lack of transmission infrastructure continues to bother clean energy players.

Four renewable energy developers — Renew Power, Adani Green Energy, Sprng... Read more..

Date : Jul 11

Source: The Economic Times

750 MW Rewa solar project starts supplying power

Located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and operated by Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Ltd, it is the first solar project in the country to supply power to an inter-state open access customer.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will purchase 24% of the project’s electricity generation, while the state discoms will receive the remaining 76%, according to a statement released by state run Madhya Pradesh... Read more..

Date : Jul 11

Source: PV Magazine

Indian and Korean CEOs discuss ways to enhance energy partnership

The India-Korea CEOs Forum held its second meeting here on Tuesday, with business leaders from both the nations developing an ambitious agenda to enhance bilateral trade and investment.

"The CEOs announced the formation of 6 working groups in sectors like Auto, Infrastructure, Services, Electronics (including renewable and allied sector) & IT and Start ups and Innovation Ecosystem (including MSMEs... Read more..

Date : Jul 11

Source: ET Energyworld

State Bank of India to raise dollar funds through maiden green bonds

State Bank of India (SBI) is in the international market to raise dollar funds through its maiden issuance of green bonds.

According to people with knowledge of the matter, the bank was engaged in investor calls throughout Monday,... Read more..

Date : Jul 10

Source: Business Standard

Solar cooking facilities for every rural household in 4-5 years: Piyush Goyal

In a bid to eliminate indoor pollution caused by cooking, Centre plans to introduce solar cooking facilities with induction oven for every rural household in the next 4-5 years, Union Minister for Coal, Railways and Corporate Affairs Piyush Goyal said in Kolkata on Monday.

Addressing an interactive session ... Read more..

Date : Jul 10

Source: The Economic Times

Smart cities let transport take lead, put safety & waste disposal in back seat

While urban transport is the topmost investment priority for cities selected under the government's Smart City Mission, safety and solid waste management issues are at the bottom of the list.

In a presentation made to the parliamentary standing committee on urban development, the housing and urban affairs ministry has stated that 99 cities that are part of the Mission are expected to make investments of Rs... Read more..

Date : Jul 10

Source: The Times of India

Himachal Pradesh imposes complete ban on plastic polythene

The local traders have welcomed the Himachal Pradesh government's recent notification of banning the use and sale of thermocol cutlery across the state.

To save the environment from degradation, governor, Acharya Devvrat, on Saturday banned the use of thermocol... Read more..

Date : Jul 10

Source: The Times of India

IRDAI acts tough, says no vehicle insurance without pollution certificate

Acting tough on those violating emission norms, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) has said vehicles without a... Read more..

Date : Jul 10

Source: India TV

Power Ministry mulls Rs 50 crore reward for discoms under Saubhagya

The power ministry is mulling a reward of Rs 50 lakh for state utilities employees and a grant of Rs 50 crore for discoms which... Read more..

Date : Jul 9

Source: The Economic Times

India plans to cut emission from old power plants to national standards by 2022

Starting next year, India has planned to bring down emission levels of all old power plants to national standards by 2022, a top Environment Ministry official has said. Union Environment Secretary C K Mishra also said that "very old" plants in the country might be closed down.

"When it comes to addressing climate change issues, the first thing that one needs to do is to acknowledge that there is an issue... Read more..

Date : Jul 9

Source: The Economic Times

Niti Aayog mulls setting up electric vehicle target for state public transporters

The government is mulling over giving target to state public transporters to deploy certain percentage of electric vehicles in their new orders, while it will refrain from coming out with a policy on electric vehicles, a top Niti Aayog official said.

Date : Jul 9

Source: The Economic Times

Two smart city projects get administrative nod

The city corporation is all set to implement two of its ambitious projects under the smart city mission with a standing committee giving administrative sanction for the multi-level car parking facility at DB Road and 3.6 megawatts solar power plant at Ukkadam.

Tenders would be floated for the projects as soon as the technical sanction is obtained, a senior official from the civic body said, adding that the... Read more..

Date : Jul 9

Source: The Economic Times

Fortum launches charging stations for electric vehicles in Hyderabad

Finnish state-owned company Fortum set up two electric vehicle charging stations at Indian Oil outlets for the general public here.

Finland Ambassador to India, Nina Vasukunlahti, launched the facility by virtually charging an electric vehicle in real time located at Goldstrike Fuel and Services located at Raj Bhavan Road here.

Date : Jul 9

Source: The Economic Times

Waste management plants to be set up for strengthening power generation system: Haryana minister

Waste management plants would be set up for strengthening power generation system in Haryana, the state’s Urban Local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain said on Sunday.

A provision has been made to generate 32 MW power every day from 2,000 tonnes of waste and works on waste management plants in Gurugram-Faridabad and Sonepat-Panipat clusters were underway, she said.

Date : Jul 9

Source: The Indian Express

IIT Roorkee and ABB to drive Smart Power Distribution, pilot project for Government of India's 'Smart Cities' Mission

ABB (India Limited) is going to collaborate with Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee to construct an operational Smart Electricity Distribution network and management system (SDNMS) in its campus.

ABB signed a... Read more..

Date : Jul 9

Source: India Today

Delhi's power discom TPDDL starts installation of smart meters, aims to cover five lakh consumers in next two years

Delhi's power discom TPDDL will start its ambitious project to install smart meters covering all its 16 lakh consumers in the national capital from this month.

The ... Read more..

Date : Jul 9

Source: The New Indian Express

1.5 lakh farmers to get grant for solar pumps: Haryana Minister

Haryana Minister of State for Renewable Energy Banwari Lal said today that the state government would bring a scheme, under which, about 1.50 lakh farmers would be given a grant for solar pumping set.

Those farmers who have applied for tube-well connection would be included in the scheme, he said.

Lal... Read more..

Date : Jul 9

Source: The Economic Times

Himachal Pradesh gives subsidy on rooftop solar power installations

The Himachal Pradesh government on Saturday announced a subsidy of 10 percent or Rs 4,000 per KW, whichever is less, to all domestic consumers, institutions and those in the social sectors for installation of solar power plants at the rooftop of their buildings.

Date : Jul 9

Source: The Economic Times

Government plans to make local manufacturing a key element for large solar power projects

The government plans to make local manufacturing of equipment a key element in tenders for large solar power projects, even as the country aims to add close to 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030, senior officials said.

The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) plans to design the bids in a way to bring manufacturing into the country while taking care of the interest of small and medium... Read more..

Date : Jul 6

Source: The Economic Times

Bacteria-powered solar cell can produce electricity on cloudy days

Scientists, including one of Indian origin, have discovered a low-cost and sustainable way to build a solar cell using bacteria, that can harvest energy from light even under overcast skies.

The cell, developed by researchers from University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada, generated a current stronger than any previously recorded from such a ... Read more..

Date : Jul 6

Source: The Economic Times

Biodegradable plastic developed from 'tree glue'

Scientists have found that a natural 'tree glue' which stiffens plant cells can be turned into a strong, biodegradable plastic.

The natural glue called lignin holds cellulose ... Read more..

Date : Jul 6

Source: The Times of India

Tamil Nadu government takes certain plastics off ban list

After announcing ban on “use and throwaway plastics” with effect from January 1, 2019, the Tamil Nadu government recently issued orders exempting a number of items such as plastic bags that constitute or form an integral part of packaging in which goods are sealed prior to... Read more..

Date : Jul 6

Source: The Times of India