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Sustainability Outlook Headlines
MNRE issues draft policy for round-the-clock supply of bundled renewable powerThe ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) has proposed a draft policy for the supply of Round-The-Clock (RTC) power to discoms which would be a mix of renewable energy and electricity generated in coal-based plants. The idea is to address the biggest issue with large scale uptake of clean energy – intermittency. Solar and wind energy are not available throughout the day severely limiting their use in modern grids. "The main objective of the scheme is to provide RTC power to the DISCOMs through bundling of RE power with thermal power and to scale up renewable capacity additions. It... Read more.. Date : Jan 3 Source: ET Energy World
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India has installed 84 GW of renewable energy capacity so far: MNREIndia's renewable energy (RE) capacity had crossed 84 gigawatt (GW) mark by the end of November this year, fresh data released by the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) showed. "A total of 6083.48 MW of renewable energy capacity has been added during the year 2019-2020, taking the cumulative installed RE capacity to 84.39 GW as on November 2019," said the monthly report released by MNRE. The installed RE capacity of 84.39 Gw includes 37.28 GW from wind energy, 32.52 GW from solar, 9.94 GW from bio-power and 4.65 GW from small hydro plants. At present 31.68 GW capacity projects are... Read more.. Date : Jan 2 Source: ET Energy World
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Oil ministry wants cut in GST on CNG vehicles to 5%The oil ministry has proposed reducing the goods and services tax on compressed natural gas (CNG)-driven vehicles to 5% — at par with electric vehicles — from the current 28% to help the government’s drive to popularise gas vehicles. This could mean more than 20% reduction in prices of CNG vehicles. The ministry is seeking support from the finance ministry to cut GST rate on CNG vehicles to make them more affordable, people aware of the development told ET. Natural gas emits 25% less Co2 than petrol on every unit of energy produced. The government aims to raise the share of natural gas in... Read more.. Date : Jan 2 Source: The Economic Times
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Railway gives push to green energy projectsThe Railways is accelerating its efforts to install and use renewable energy as part of its objective to reduce carbon footprint and reduce its power costs. It aims to source about 1,000 MW of solar power and about 200 MW of wind power by 2021-22. Currently, it consumes 200 MW of clean energy. The Railways’ total power requirement is estimated at about 2000 MW. Railways is working on solar rooftop, ground-mounted and wind power projects on railway buildings, stations, hospitals and vacant railway land lying with different zones. The renewable energy projects are being implemented by the... Read more.. Date : Jan 2 Source: The Hindu Business Line
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Chandigarh: Centre releases Rs 5 crore for solar subsidyThe Union government has released Rs 5 crore to the UT administration that will be used to transfer solar subsidy to residents, who had installed solar plants on their rooftops. In the new year, the UT administration will transfer subsidy amount in the account of eligible beneficiaries. The Union government had recently notified the new subsidy scheme for rooftop solar units, wherein the amount has been raised from 30 per cent to 40 per cent for panels up to 3 kWp capacity. For solar units from 4 kWp to 10 kWp, the subsidy will be 20 per cent. The same has been adopted by the UT... Read more.. Date : Jan 2 Source: ET Energy World
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Hero Electric delays Rs 700 cr investment by a yr after failure of FAME IILeading electric two-wheeler maker Hero Electric has put on hold investment of up to Rs 700 crore by a year with the sector taking a nosedive as FAME II, scheme aimed to promote electric vehicles, has failed to deliver, according to a top company official. Calling for a complete revamp of the policy, the company wants the government to include low speed two-wheelers for subsidy arguing that for mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in India these cost effective vehicles are critical. "From an industry standpoint, there was a certain trajectory which was going on when we had FAME I. With... Read more.. Date : Jan 2 Source: Business Standard
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Suzuki JV to invest ₹3,715 crore in second phase of battery ventureJapan’s Suzuki Motor Corp. (SMC), Toshiba Corp. and Denso Corp. will jointly invest ₹3,715 crore in the second phase of their battery venture in Gujarat’s Hansalpur, a confidential company presentation showed. The investment, spread over 2021-25, is part of the ₹5,000-crore corpus that Suzuki announced in October 2019 to build India’s first lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant for EVs. The joint venture, called Automotive Electronics Power Pvt. Ltd (AEPPL), is currently building the first phase at ₹1,214 crore. According to the presentation, seen by Mint, the first phase (2018-20) is... Read more.. Date : Jan 2 Source: Livemint
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Thermax wins Rs 431 crore order for two FGD systems in JharkhandEnergy and environment solutions provider Thermax Ltd said on Tuesday it has concluded an order of Rs 431 crore from a public-private joint venture power company to set up two flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems at its thermal power plant in Jharkhand. The customer will install two units of FGD systems of 525 MW capacity each at its plant to limit sulphur oxides emissions in line with revised regulations of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The scope of supply includes design, engineering, manufacturing, civil work, construction and commissioning of the FGD... Read more.. Date : Jan 2 Source: Sify Finance
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India installed 181,000 solar power pumps for irrigation in three years under PM-KUSUM schemeMore than 181,000 solar power pumps have been installed in the country over the past three years for meeting the electricity demand for irrigation under the Pradhan-Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM-KUSUM) scheme being implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). “The area of land brought under irrigation through these solar pumps depends upon several factors including capacity of pump, type of crop, and ground water level. In general, a 5 horsepower (HP) capacity solar water pump linked with micro irrigation system covers an area of 2.5 hectares... Read more.. Date : Dec 31 Source: ET Energy World
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ICRA revises year-end outlook from stable to negative for renewable energy sectorICRA has revised the year-end outlook for the renewable energy (RE) sector, from stable to negative. The sector is facing headwinds because of the long delays in making payments by the state distribution utilities, execution delays for projects bid out over the past two years due to challenges in completion, land acquisition difficulties, securing transmission connectivity and; financing in a timely manner. Sabyasachi Majumdar, Group Head & Senior Vice President - Corporate ratings, ICRA, says, “The headwinds related to payment delays, uncertainty over resolution of tariff issue for... Read more.. Date : Dec 31 Source: The Hindu Business Line
Subject Tags: DISCOMS, ICRA, land acquisition, renewable energy capacity addition, renewable energy sector |
HPCL, EESL to set up public charging infrastructure for National Electric Mobility ProgrammeEnergy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), will be setting up public charging infrastructure as part of the National Electric Mobility Programme. The companies have entered into a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to synergise business development for setting up Public Charging Infrastructure to boost electric mobility in India. Collaboration for planning, development and installation of charging installations at suitable locations for two, three, and four-wheeler vehicles is covered under this MoU. Date : Dec 31 Source: The Hindu Business Line
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Ampere Vehicles expands its dealership network with 23 new outletsE-mobility subsidiary of Greaves Cotton has announced the expansion of its retail network across the country with the opening of 23 new dealerships since 2019. The company claims that it now has dealerships in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan. Ampere Vehicles’ e-scooters include the Zeal, which is a high-speed model. Also, it has medium to low-speed models like V-48 LA, Magnus 60, Reo LA and REO Li in its portfolio. Commenting on the expansion announcement, Nagesh Basavanhalli, MD & CEO, Greaves Cotton, said, “We... Read more.. Date : Dec 31 Source: ET Auto
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Kerala: KSRTC issues fresh tenders for 250 non-AC electric busesIn another attempt towards e-mobility, KSRTC has invited tenders to hire electricity-powered buses for its fleet. As many 250 non-AC buses will be hired by KSRTC for intercity operations for 10 years. Different from previous bids, KSRTC has invited three different tenders for each zone — Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode. There will be 100 e-buses each under Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam zone and 50 buses will be operated under Kozhikode zone. KSRTC has demanded for 12-metre long buses with minimum 40 seats (34 seats in case wheel access and locking facility is available)... Read more.. Date : Dec 31 Source: The Times of India
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India's forest and tree cover rises to 24.56%: IFSRForest and tree cover rises more than 130 million hectares in the last four years The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar released the biennial, India State of Forest Report (ISFR). The report is published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) which has been mandated to assess the forest and tree resources of the country including wall-to-wall forest cover mapping in a biennial cycle. Starting 1987, 16 assessments have been completed so far. ISFR 2019 is the 16th report in the series. Announcing the results the Union Minister said that India is among... Read more.. Date : Dec 31 Source: Business Standard
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Kerala, Himachal top sustainable development goals indexThe SDG Index, launched last year, ranked states based on 16 goals across 54 targets spread among 100 indicators based on national identified indicators. Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have topped the list of states on the sustainable development goals index 2019-20. While Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim have shown maximum improvement, states like Gujarat have not shown any improvement vis-a-vis first ranking in 2018. In 2019-20 report, 14 states have fallen in the overall ranking in the index compared to last year. India's composite score improved from... Read more.. Date : Dec 31 Source: The Economic Times
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Bengaluru: 2020 may be a better year for urban mobilityBengaluru, which is perennially dogged by chock-a-block roads, can look forward to 2020 with some hope and expectation, going by the promises made by various government agencies to unveil projects to benefit urban mobility. With more than 80 lakh vehicles and average speed dropping by the day from the current 10kmph during peak hours, a sizeable section of Bengalureans is spending frustrating hours on city roads. However, several projects by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), South Western Railway(SWR) and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) slated to come to... Read more.. Date : Dec 31 Source: The Times of India
Subject Tags: electric buses, electric vehicle charging, FAME II, traffic congestion, Urban Mobility |
Renewable energy certificate sales down 10 per cent to 5.04 lakh in DecemberSales of renewable energy certificates fell around 10 per cent to 5.04 lakh units in December as compared to 5.59 lakh in the same month a year ago due to lower supply, according to official data. Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and Power Exchange of India (PXIL) are the two power bourses in the country which are engaged in trading of renewable energy certificates (RECs) and electricity. The trading of RECs is conducted on the last Wednesday of every month. But due to Christmas holiday, the trading this month was done on the last Thursday. According to official data, IEX saw total trade of 3.... Read more.. Date : Dec 30 Source: ET Energy World
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Gujarat spent less than 5% of Rs 1,048 crore budget allocated for climate changeGujarat was the first state in India to constitute a climate change department in 2009. A decade later, its performance has been rather dismal. Of the Rs 1,048.26 crore allocated in the 2019-20 budget to the department that was the brain-child of the then chief minister Narendra Modi, it spent only Rs 40.23 crore in first three quarters from April to December in the current financial year. This is a mere 4.79% of the total allocation. The apathy towards taking concrete measures to tackle the future challenges of climate change is alarming as multiple studies in past five years have... Read more.. Date : Dec 30 Source: ET Energy World
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Government plans major push for electric vehicles in PunjabTo give greener, non-polluting vehicles a push, the Punjab government has decided exempt battery-operated vehicles — both private and commercial — from paying registration and permit fee, besides offering other financial benefits. As per the draft of the ‘Punjab Electric Vehicles Policy, 2019’ prepared by the state government, private electric vehicles will be given 100% waiver on motor vehicle tax for a period of five years, while commercial vehicles will be exempted from registration as well as permit fee for the same period. The waiver will be applicable for a period of 10 years for... Read more.. Date : Dec 30 Source: The Times of India
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EV Policy: Streamlining charging infra to be an uphill task for Delhi govtThe Delhi government is upbeat about its recently launched Electric Vehicle (EV) policy, as it targets inducting thousands of electric vehicles in the near future. But, it is yet to come out with a full-fledged plan on building a robust charging infrastructure, an issue that if not thought through could potentially impede the capital's shift to a zero-emission transport system. According to the government's policy it will attempt, within a year, to induct 35,000 electric vehicles (2/3/4 wheelers and buses), 1,000 EVs for last mile deliveries and also establish 250 public charging/swapping... Read more.. Date : Dec 30 Source: ET Auto
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BHEL commissions first renovated unit of 180 MW Baira Siul Hydro ProjectBharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), the country’s largest power equipment manufacturer, today announced it has renovated and modernised first of the three 60 megawatt (MW) units of Baira Siul Hydro Power in Himachal Pradesh. BHEL won the order for renovation and modernisation (R&M) of three units of the power plant located in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The R&M of the other two units is under various stages of execution. "R&M of the project will result in restoration of output capacity and improvement in efficiency, in addition to leading to better plant... Read more.. Date : Dec 30 Source: ET Energy World
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53% multi-layer plastic recycled, says MPCB; experts remain scepticalMaharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) recently released data on the state’s efforts to recycle multi-layer plastic (MLP). According to the information made available to Hindustan Times, 53% of MLP waste generated in 2019 was processed as fuel. However, independent experts are sceptical of the claim. MLP is the glossy cover in many processed foods, and groceries are wrapped. The wraps have layers of plastic and aluminium, making it hard to separate the components for recycling. According to the Plastic Waste Management Rules passed by the Centre in 2016, all non-recyclable MLP (which... Read more.. Date : Dec 30 Source: Hindustan Times
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Future is green: 2020 may see re-birth of electric vehicles, say expertsThe year 2019 was a mix of ups and downs for the electric vehicle (EV) sales in the country. The coming year is expected to be better, with the entry of more electric cars and Chinese entities’ entry, bringing down the average cost. The second phase of the Rs 10,000-crore scheme of the central government, termed Faster Adoption and Manufacturing for Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME II), offers higher incentives to higher powered products. It excludes lead acid battery-powered two-wheelers and mandates that e-scooters should have 80 km per charge and a minimum top speed of 40 kmph, with... Read more.. Date : Dec 30 Source: Business Standard
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Severe cold days may be linked to air pollution, say scientistsDelhi recorded a severe cold day on Saturday along with severe cold wave conditions increasing the intensity of cold a notch higher than what was felt in the rest of December. Delhi has been experiencing a cold spell for 15 days now. The minimum temperature at Safdarjung observatory was only 2.4 degree C, 5 degrees below normal; 1.7 degree C at Lodhi road; 1.9 degree C at Ayanagar and 3.1 degree C at Palam. The minimum at Safdarjung is the coldest since December 11, 1996 when the minimum was 2.3 degree C and same as December 30, 2013 when the minimum was 2.4 degree C. The all time record... Read more.. Date : Dec 30 Source: Hindustan Times
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India set to cross 100GW renewable energy capacity mark in 2020India is all set to cross the 100GW renewable energy capacity mark in 2020 and can make rapid strides towards the ambitious 175GW clean energy target by 2022 provided the government keeps a close eye on key issues and deals with those well in time. The government however needs to promote storage to ensure 24X7 clean energy supply as coal fired thermal power still remains the base load in the country. Presently, the issues hampering growth of renewables in India are lack of interest of financial institution to fund renewable energy projects, safeguard duty on imported solar panels,... Read more.. Date : Dec 27 Source: ET Energy World
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