Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Tighter CAFE norms to electrify govt's EV push

The government is looking to tighten the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) norms, in a bid to push automakers to incrementally increase production of electric vehicles by 2-3% every year.

This is a more gradual effort after its efforts to make vehicle manufacturers reduce the number of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines (conventional vehicles) through limits on their production faced stiff resistance from the industry.

"Electric mobility will only be adopted if it makes commercial sense, but we (the... Read more..

Bajaj Auto invests $8 million in e-bicycle sharing platform Yulu

Bajaj Auto Ltd, India’s second largest motorcycle manufacturer, will invest in Bengaluru-based cycle sharing platform Yulu, which offers electric cycles and bicycles on hire for last-mile commute.

This comes in the backdrop of India’s changing mobility landscape. The interest from Rajiv Bajaj-helmed Bajaj Auto in a ride hailing firm also comes at a time of cab-hailing giant Uber’s interest in the space.

“Bajaj Auto Ltd is investing $8 million in Yulu, to compliment this strategic relationship. Yulu will source from Bajaj... Read more..

UP govt introduces blockchain to allow trading of surplus solar power

The Uttar Pradesh government has introduced the blockchain technology to the rooftop solar power segment, allowing consumers to trade their surplus solar energy.

Two state power utilities — UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) and UP New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) — have launched the ambitious project as a pilot in select government buildings in Lucknow with installed rooftop solar power plants.

According to state energy watchdog UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC), Phase-I of the pilot... Read more..

Yet to float tenders, NMC may lose out on 100 e-buses

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is likely to lose out on central government funded 100 electric buses. Reason: the NMC is yet to begin tender process for acquiring these eco-friendly buses.

Enraged over this, NMC’s transport committee chairman Bunty Kukde on Tuesday issued a show cause notice to the programme manager of Aapli Bus — DIMTS.

In August, the department of heavy industries and public enterprises had sanctioned 100 electric buses to NMC under Phase-II of faster adoption and manufacturing of electric... Read more..

India's still burning coal — just not at home

India is lauded for its aggressive targets to achieve sustainable energy goals — like aiming to generate 175 GigaWatts (GW) of its energy from renewable sources by 2022. Its policy framework and ambitious targets for sustainable energy made it the top scorer in this year Climatescope rankings. Not only is India working towards bringing in more sources of renewable energy, but it's also cutting down on fossil fuels. Its existing coal fired power projects are reporting stress and no new financial commitments for coal plants... Read more..

New clean energy investment in developing nations slipped sharply last year: report

New clean energy investment slid by more than a fifth in developing countries last year due to a slowdown in China, while the amount of coal-fired power generation jumped to a new high, an annual survey showed on Monday. Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) surveyed 104 emerging markets and found that developing nations were moving towards cleaner power sources, but not fast enough to limit carbon dioxide emissions or the effects of climate change. New investment in wind, solar and other clean energy projects dropped to $133 billion last year from $169 billion a year earlier, mainly due to... Read more..

Not all gas: Waste to turn into electricity, compost in Delhi

Aiming to minimise the amount of garbage ending up at landfills, EDMC has initiated the trial run of its first biomethanation plant at Geeta Colony. Spread over 600 sq metres, the plant will consume 5,000kg of wet waste daily to generate 250-300 units of electricity and 750kg of compost. “During the trial run, the concessionaire is feeding 700kg of segregated waste into the plant to ascertain its performance. But after its inauguration in the first week of December, we will run it to its full capacity,” an EDMC official said. The civic agency aims to establish another 5-tonne plant at... Read more..

India accounts for the highest number of deaths among G20 nations due to air pollution

More than a million people die in India every year as a result of outdoor air pollution, due to stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases and, compared to the total population, this is the highest level in the Group of Twenty (G20) countries, Climate Transparency Partnership said in a report quoting World Health Organisation (WHO) data. To keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 Degree Celsius goal within reach, G-20 countries will have to fasten their 2030 emission targets by 2020 and significantly scale up mitigation, adaptation and finance over the next decade,... Read more..

MNRE invites bids for evaluation of New National Biogas and Organic Manure Program

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has invited an expression of interest for conducting an independent evaluation of the implementation of the national biogas and organic manure programmes implemented across 13 states. The ministry has been implementing the programme for deployment of small biogas plants in the remote rural, semi-urban areas of the country facilitating the beneficiaries to convert cattle dung, organic wastes into clean gaseous fuel for cooking and lighting. The process helps in reducing health hazards, combating climate change, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions... Read more..

Inox Wind gets SECI extension to commission 550 MW wind projects

Wind energy solutions provider Inox Wind on Monday said it has been granted extension by state-run SECI for the scheduled commissioning of 550 MW inter-state transmission system (ISTS) connected wind power projects in Gujarat. The time extension has been granted by Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) due to delay in operationalisation of long-term access by the central transmission utility, Inox Wind said in a regulatory filing to BSE. "Out of the total 250 MW of SECI 1 at Dayapar, Gujarat, Inox Wind had successfully commissioned 200 MW in June and July, 2019," the company... Read more..

Siemens in talks with stakeholders to develop energy storage solutions

Siemens is in talks with various stakeholders for developing industrial energy storage solutions to cash in on the government effort to boost battery storage plans, a senior company official has said. India has set an ambitious target of having 225 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022. According to estimates by India Energy Storage Alliance, during 2019-2025, the cumulative potential for energy storage in behind the meter and grid side applications is estimated to be close to 190 GW. The energy storage market has witnessed a demand of 23 GW in 2018 with 56 per cent of the battery demand... Read more..

40% plastic waste littered on India's streets: Javadekar in Lok Sabha

As much as 40 per cent of plastic waste collected in India remains uncollected and littered on the streets, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar told the Lok Sabha on November 22, 2019. A whopping 25,940 tonnes per day of plastic waste is generated in India, Javadekar said, quoting a study of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The country's 60 major cities produce 4,059 tonnes per day of plastic waste, he added. Except for 2018-19, the production of plastic increased in India in the last five years. "The production of plastic in India... Read more..