Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Solar energy helps boost power generation to 10 GW

Green power is driving the growth in India's electricity generation as total installed solar capacity, including rooftop and off-grid projects, has crossed 10 gigawatts (gW), latest government and market data show.

Generation from conventional sources showed an annual growth rate of over 5% in the 11-month period of 2016-2017 financial year, while output from renewable power projects rose more than 26%... Read more..

Southern Online Bio Technologies signs a MoU with Union Enterprise

Southern Online Bio Technologies, announced that the company has entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Union Enterprise Private Limited. The MoU is for the supply, operation, production, maintenance & sale of biodiesel at Vizag & Nalgonda plants on turnkey basis.
 
Southern Online Bio Technologies Limited is engaged in the provision of internet services and manufacture of biodiesel. The company is also engaged in trading of used cooking oil and contract, and bio diesel plant... Read more..

Indian government to build cement plants near power plants to use fly ash

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has decided to form a multi-disciplinary committee to examine the possibility of building cement plants near to power plants to use fly ash. The decision was taken at the ministry's Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for thermal power projects in mid-February 2017 following a directive by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in January 2017, according to the Mint newspaper.

... Read more..

Prices of renewable certificates slashed

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has reduced the prices of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to a historic low in a move that could resurrect the market for them.

The CERC in its draft proposal has set the floor price of the solar REC at Rs 1/unit and forbearance at Rs 2.5/unit. These were earlier Rs 3.5/unit and Rs 5.8/unit, respectively. The floor price for non-solar RECs has been... Read more..

Rajasthan, Haryana, Chhattisgarh discoms major gainers under UDAY

The power distribution utilities in Rajasthan, Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Punjab are among major gainers in lowering their interest cost under UDAY scheme meant for revival of discoms.

"State power distribution companies (DISCOMs) are reporting handsome savings and improvements in operational efficiency and found ways of cutting down power theft under Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY)," a senior official... Read more..

NLC to invest over Rs 14,000 cr in thermal, solar power plants in Odisha

Chennai-based navratna PSU company, NLC India Ltd (formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation), has firmed up plans to set up a pithead coal-based power project in Odisha with a capacity of 3,200 Mw.

The power plant entails an investment of Rs 11,785 crore, and is to come up at Tareikela near Jharsuguda in western Odisha. The site chosen for the coal-fired power generating station is in the vicinity of the... Read more..

Thermal power generation to reduce by half in next five years

Coal-fired power generation is expected to grow 4.05 per cent during 2017-18, suggests Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in its latest estimates. Hydel on the other hand is expected to grow 5.52 per cent, while nuclear will grow only about 2.43 per cent during the same year.

CEA has estimated that coal-fired power plants are likely to generate 9,58,444 million units of power in 2017-18. In contrast it had... Read more..

Tirunelveli first to have 100% waste segregation

It took barely a few months for Tirunelveli municipality in Tamil Nadu to achieve the feat of achieving 100% segregation of waste at source across households and establishments. It involved securing undertakings from each household to segregate biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, campaigns though TV and local radio channels targeting housewives and roping in religious leaders and NGOs.

The city, with... Read more..

Shimla to generate power from waste from April 1

From April 1, tourist town Shimla would be the first hill station to generate electricity from waste. From March 20 onwards the trial run of garbage processing plant would start. National Green Tribunal earlier had directed the project proponent to start the operation of plant from December 15 last year onwards but somehow operation got delayed.

Sources said that on successful trial run of plant from March... Read more..

Relyon Solar Launches Single-Axis Trackers for Solar Power Plants

Relyon Solar has announced the launch of its single-axis trackers for solar power plants. The product launch was followed by a get together of industry experts at The Leela Ambience, Delhi.

Relyon Solar’s single axis tracker ensures solar project viability through an additional 18-25% increase in power generation. The improved generation can result in improved financial returns said company.... Read more..

Use Solid Waste In Constructing Highways: Delhi Governor

Concerned over all three landfill sites in the national capital running out of their capacity, Lt Governor Anil Baijal has pitched for use of solid waste in constructing highways.

In Delhi, there are three landfill sites – Bhalaswa (North Delhi), Ghazipur (East Delhi) and Okhla (South Delhi), which are on the brink of saturation. In December last year, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) and the... Read more..

Govt calls for change in India's entire urban eco-system

With half the country's population on course to live in urban centres in the next 15-20 years, there is a pressing need to improve the entire ecosystem of urbanisation, the government said on Thursday.

"Herein, lies the challenge in urban governance and political and economic system," Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Rajeev Kapoor said while inaugurating the 8th GRIHA Summit here.... Read more..