Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Shift to Lower-Carbon Energy Is Too Slow, Report Warns

Even as the world shifts toward lower-carbon forms of energy, the changes are happening too slowly to keep global temperatures from rising to dangerous levels in the coming decades, an international research group warns in a report to be released on Tuesday.

And low oil prices could make the problem worse by slowing the planet’s transition to cleaner and more efficient cars, trucks and aircraft, according to the report, by the International Energy Agency. The group represents nearly 30 countries and aims to promote secure and environmentally sustainable global energy.

“Now is... Read more..

India’s booming cities to drive world energy demand, IEA says

India will account for a quarter of global energy demand growth by 2040 as booming manufacturing and a bigger, richer and more-urbanized population set the nation on the path of sustained and rapid expansion, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said.

The country’s oil demand is expected to reach 10 million barrels a day in the next quarter of a century, marking the fastest growth in the world, the Paris-based agency said in a report released on Tuesday. Last month the IEA forecast that India would consume almost 4 million barrels a day this year.

The use of coal, the... Read more..

Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages dedicates its 1st Solar Power initiative in Maharashtra

Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd has announced the dedication of a100Kilowatts (KW) rooftop solar power plant at its Wada bottling plant in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. The Solar power facility was inaugurated by Mr. Vishnuji Savra, Minister of Tribal Development &Guardian Minister for Palghar District, Government of Maharashtra in the presence of Mr. Durgesh Telang, Zonal Vice President, HCCBPL and other senior dignitaries from the government and the company.

This initiative is in line with company's sustainability agenda wherein it seeks to contribute towards... Read more..

Coal India to invest Rs 6,000 crore to set up solar power units

State-run Coal India (CIL) will invest Rs 6,000 crore to set up 1,000 MW of solar power generation capacity over the next five to six years, according to a senior company executive. "We will fund 70% of the project cost through debt, which will come mostly from banks, while the rest will be through internal resources," said the executive, who did not wish to be named adding that land for the plants will be provided by the states. As a first step, Coal India has prepared a detailed project  report for setting up 200 MW of solar generation capacity.

The coal producer is also looking... Read more..

Falling rates hit solar power players

Solar power made history in the country last week by receiving a bid of Rs 4.6 a unit. Policy makers cheered the drop - from Rs 17.91 a unit in 2010 to below Rs 5 a unit now.

However, there is nervousness among investors in the segment and the supply chain. Experts say leading project developers are putting aggressive bids for 50-200 Mw projects, to be relevant in the market. The likes of ReNew Power, Hero Future Energies, Azure Power and ACME are bidding close to Rs 5 a unit bid for small projects but not winning.

"Global investors are baffled. The way the tariffs (rates)... Read more..

H&M commits to fundamental rights of garment workers

World’s leading apparel retailer H&M, which has 1.6 million garment factory workers working at around 1,900 factories across the globe that manufacture goods for H&M has signed an innovative global framework agreement (GFA) along with world’s largest sectorial trade union organization IndustriALL Global Union, which represents 50 million workers, and Swedish trade union IF Metall. The agreement marks a new level of commitment by the collaborating parties to fundamental rights of the workers, and promises to bring about lasting improvements in the condition of garment workers and... Read more..

India & Belgium signs MoU for Energy

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, has approved a Memorandum of Understanding which has been signed between Indian and Belgian government authorities at the Federal and regional level for energy.

The objective of this Memorandum of Understanding is to establish the basis for a cooperative institutional relationship to encourage and promote technical bilateral cooperation on new and renewable energy issues on the basis of mutual benefit, equality and reciprocity. The areas of cooperation will focus on development of new and renewable energy... Read more..

175 GW green energy target a big challenge: Suresh Prabhu

Deploying 175 GW of power generation capacity from renewable sources by 2022 is a big challenge, Union minister Suresh Prabhu said on Saturday, adding that solar energy is the “ultimate solution” for India.

“Solar is the ultimate solution for India because solar and wind are real sources of energy. Having 175 GW of power generation capacity from renewable energy is a big challenge,” the railways minister said while addressing the Global Energy Technology Summit 2015, organized here by NTPC.

The government has ambitious plans for deployment of 175 GW renewable power capacities... Read more..

Confusion ends, green tax on trucks comes into effect

SMYR Consortium, the toll contractor appointed by the South Corporation, finally agreed to collect the environment compensation charge (ECC) from heavy commercial vehicles from Friday night. The decision comes following a series of meetings between the company and the Environment Pollution Control Authority. The Supreme Court had earlier ordered that a green tax of Rs 700 and Rs 1,300 be imposed on multi-axle trucks entering Delhi.

"We received the letter from the corporation on Thursday night. We have reached a conclusion that we will start imposing the green tax on heavy trucks... Read more..

Su-Kam installs 40 KWp Grid-Tie Rooftop Solar PV power plant in Delhi

Su-Kam Power Systems Limited has announced that it has installed a 40KWpGrid-Tie solar power plant at rooftop of Allied Engineering Works, Delhi. The Solar Plant is installed under rate contract with Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) in which the Grid connected solar power plant will produce 56,000 units of electricity, thereby saving a sum of Five Lakh annually. Su-Kam has been given the overall responsibility of designing, supplying, testing and commissioning of the solar power plant.

The company has been short listed as empanelled vendor for TPDDL Consumers for... Read more..

Godavari Biorefineries Limited launched its new chemical plant

Godavari Biorefineries Limited inaugurated its new MPO plant with a capacity of 4,000 tons per annum, at Sakarwadi in Maharashtra. 

Godavari Biorefineries Ltd. is a biorefining company producing sugar, biofuels, chemicals, power, compost, waxes, and related products, using sugarcane as the primary feedstock.  The company has manufacturing plants at Sameerwadi, Bagalkot district in Karnataka and Sakarwadi, Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra.

Inaugurating the plant, Shri Prakash Mehta, Minister of Housing, Labour & Mines, Guardian Minister of Raigad District, Government of... Read more..