Sustainability Outlook Headlines

SolarEdge’s StorEdge DC Coupled Storage Solution Now Available

A DC coupled storage solution known as "StorEdge" is now available internationally, according to the solution's developer SolarEdge Technologies. The energy storage solution has already been deployed in various locations around the world, as of the end of 2015.

The StorEdge is essentially a means of storing unused solar energy (or electricity via other sources) in a battery for later use, as a means of... Read more..

Shri Piyush Goyal reiterates need to deepen India Japan Cooperation in Energy Sector

Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy reiterated the need to deepen the cooperation in the energy sector between India and Japan. Shri Goyal was speaking at his second bilateral meeting with Mr. Motoo Hayashi, Minister of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in Tokyo , Japan today morning. The Minister said that the cooperation in energy sector should be such that Japanese technology and capital can be dovetailed with Indian high skilled human... Read more..

Renewable energy investments in India touch $10.9 billion on solar surge

Investments in clean or renewable energy in India have touched $10.9 billion on solar surge against an annual average of $8 billion in the last three years, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Solar PV investment leaped ahead of wind investments for the first time during the year due to a strong policy push for power from the sun.

... Read more..

$45 Million In Debt Financing For African Solar Announced By Off Grid Electric

Off Grid Electric recently announced $45 million in debt financing for distributed solar and battery storage in Africa. The organization is installing over 10,000 solar power systems in homes and businesses per month. F. Xavier Helgesen is the CEO and one of the co-founders, and he answered some questions for CleanTechnica about the organization’s work.

How did you collaborate with the... Read more..

New online resource guide for textile standards & legislation tool

MCL Global and the European Outdoor Group have launched an exclusive on-line resource, www.textilestandards.com replete with information on over 70 textile sustainability labels, regulation and standards. The new Textile Standards & Legislation (TSL) website has all the elements of the long-established Eco-Textile Labelling Guide from MCL, along with the online SIGNS tool developed by the European Outdoor Group, and its members.

... Read more..

Maharashtra delinks subsidy from bank loans

The textile industry in Maharashtra received a great impetus, when the BJP-led government in the state decided to provide subsidy to textile owners that would not be linked to bank loans. Earlier, this subsidy was credit-linked and only those who had availed a bank loan were eligible for this government benefit.

This policy decision to provide capital subsidy that would be delinked from bank loans was taken... Read more..

After Delhi’s odd-even rule, Indore’s green bid with rent-a-cycle scheme

In a bid to revive the rent-a-cycle scheme, Atal Indore City Transport Company Ltd (AICTSL) is trying to attract city residents with pedal assist bicycles, being implemented for the first time in India.

The pedal assist bicycles - cycles with battery powered support for pedalling - are on display at AICTSL cycle stands on BRTS. i-Bike, the firm contracted by AICTSL to run the public bicycle system, is... Read more..

92% Indians perceive climate change as a major threat: Survey

A total of 92 per cent Indians polled by independent market research company Ipsos view global warming and climate change as major threats.

India ranks seventh among the 24 countries surveyed, a statement by Ipsos said.

"India has been strongly impacted by climate change and global warming, given the sudden... Read more..

GST likely to impact renewable energy sector: Ministry report

While India's increased focus on renewable energy is generating much global interest, the latest findings reveal that the new GST regime could increase the cost of setting up renewable energy systems in the country by up to 20%. The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) is learnt to have shared the findings of the report with the Department of Revenue, requesting an exemption.

The latest findings... Read more..

$25.3 Billion For Corporate Solar Sector Funding In 2015

According to a report from Mercom Capital Group, the amount of global corporate funding in the solar sector in 2015 was $25.3 billion. This figure was down slightly from $26.5 billion in 2014. Some of funding sources were: debt financing, public market financing, yieldcos, and venture capital/private equity (VC).

... Read more..

IEX spot prices to be uniform at ₹2.57/unit

For the second time in about a fortnight, spot electricity prices in the day-ahead auction on the Indian Energy Exchange will be uniform at ₹2.57 a kWh across the country, on January 14. On December 29, spot prices were uniform across the regions at ₹2.30 a unit, prompting the Power Ministry to say ‘One nation, one grid, one price’.

According to information available on the IEX, the average market clearing... Read more..

GMR commissions 5 MW solar unit at Hyderabad airport

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd has commissioned a 5 MW solar power plant for its captive consumption and plans to gradually scale the capacity up to 30 MW over the next two-three years.

Located close to the greenfield airport, the solar plant set up with an outlay of Rs. 25 crore, has started generating around 25,000 units per day of pollution free energy and meeting the airport's peek power demand... Read more..