Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Cabinet's ex-post facto approval for India's stand at COP24

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its ex post facto approval to India's negotiating stand at COP24 where it reiterated its commitment to Paris Agreement, but added that the actions of developing countries must be supported by developed nations.

The Indian delegation to the 24th Conference of Parties (COP24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held at Katowice in Poland... Read more..

Tata Cleantech raises ₹180cr from Dutch bank FMO

Tata Cleantech Capital has raised Rs 180 crore via a green bond — its first such offering — from the Netherlands Development Finance Company, or FMO, to finance renewable energy projects. Tata Cleantech is majority owned (80%) by Tata Capital, the non-bank finance arm of the Tata Group, with the balance 20% being held by IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank.

Tata Cleantech, which began operations in... Read more..

Small renewable energy tenders likely after muted response

The government plans to scale down size of renewable energy tenders, scrapping the idea of allotting large capacities at one go, after a recent tender for 10 GW solar capacity saw lukewarm response from the industry. 

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), tasked with the implementation of the national solar mission, issued two solar and wind energy tenders of 1,200 MW each on Monday. As the government... Read more..

Energy Efficiency Services inks first long-term rupee loan of Rs 500 cr

State-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has raised its first long-term rupee loan of Rs 500 crore, the undertaking announced on Tuesday.

The government owned Punjab National Bank (PNB)-issued loan will be utilised to fund EESL's capital expenditure for its programmes such as the Street Lighting National Programme, Smart Meter National Programme, Solar Substation and e-mobility projects, a company... Read more..

Uttar Pradesh gets Rs 1,500 crore grant for meeting deadline on 100% electrification

The Saubhagya dashboard showed that of the 2,49,01,600 households that have been identified, 96.15% have been energized, while 3.85%, or 9,57,950, households are remaining.

Uttar Pradesh, once the biggest roadblocks to the Centre’s complete electrification programme, will get close to Rs 1,500 crore grant as it finished the household electrification drive within the stipulated deadline of December 31. ... Read more..

Solar-powered driverless bus made by students to welcome PM Modi

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Indian Science Congress - 2019 on January 3 at Lovely Professional University (LPU), a unique solar-powered driverless bus, designed and made by the students of the University, its first prototype will be used to ferry him to the venue. 

The bus is slated to enter into commercial service later this year. The 106th edition of ISC 2019 will be held from... Read more..

Solar power industry demands uniform GST rate of 5 per cent

The Solar Power Developer Association (SPDA) has demanded the goods and services tax rate be kept uniform at 5 per cent on solar power generating system (SPGS) saying recent recommendations of the GST Council are inconsistent with the government's policy of promoting clean energy. 

The total incidence of tax on the SPGS would increase to 8.9 per cent with implementation of the GST Council recommendations... Read more..

Jamia to soak up the sun, go fully green

Jamia Millia Islamia is planning to become emission-free and fully renewable energy-reliant while turning itself into a source of electricity for the Okhla area.
The university, which now has a 2.25MW solar power plant — the largest among all central universities in the country — has also started constructing two sewage water treatment plants and will follow the green building concept for all constructions on the campus. 

... Read more..

India finalizes bids for setting up over 8,000 MW wind power projects

India has finalized bids for setting up wind power projects of over 8,000 Megawatt (MW) capacity through Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC), power minister R K Singh said.

"As on date, the bids for setting up of wind power projects of aggregate 8389.90 MW capacity have been finalized through SECI and NTPC," Singh said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha... Read more..

Work on 800 kW solar power plant in Chandigarh to start next year

The UT administration has approved the detailed project report (DPR) of installation of 800 kW solar power plant worth Rs 4.5 crore at the parking area of New Lake here in Sector 42. Aiming to achieve the target of 69 MW set by the ministry of new and renewable energy by the year 2022, the work on this ambitious plant will start next year.

Out of 800 kW, 90 kW solar energy will be reserved for charging e-... Read more..

NTPC gets investment approval for 160 MW solar power projects in UP

State-owned power generator NTPC Ltd today announced it has received investment approval for two solar power projects of 160 Megawatt capacity in Uttar Pradesh.

The approval has been received for the 140 Mw Bilhaur solar Photo Voltaic (PV) project and the 20 Mw Auraiya solar PV project. Both of them are to be set up in Uttar Pradesh. 

... Read more..

Kerala Floats Tender for 200 MW Solar Project

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has announced that it has floated a tender for the development of 200 MW of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in Kerala. The project is to be developed on Independent Power Producer (IPP) mode and the time limit for the submission of bid is February 1, 2019. 

The scale of work includes the selection of site, possession of land, obtaining compulsory... Read more..