Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Indias NTPC to bundle 15GW of solar with coal

pIndian state utility National Thermal Power Corporation NTPC plans to build 15GW of solar projects which will be made more competitive by bundling the electricity produced together with electricity from some of Indiarsquos oldest coalfired power plants according to an earnings conference call released on NTPCrsquos website in Augustp

pThe move comes under orders from Indiarsquos central government to remove power generated from coal plants that are more than 25 years old from their existing power purchase agreements The remaining power will then brought together with new solar... Read more..

PMC conducts Ewaste awareness and collection drive in Pune

pWarje Karvenagar ward office in association with Janwani and Cummins India limited organized an ewaste collection drive on Saturday in municipal panel number 35p

pA special vehicle for collection was sent to areas in the wards under this panel The vehicle plied in different societies from 10am to 8pm It was stationed for an hour at particular location People gave unused or outdated electronic or electrical equipment to these garbage collectors They will be disposed scientificallyp

pThe items that are considered as ewaste include Monitors computer CPUs LCD Monitor Laptop... Read more..

KMC takes a step towards cleaner city

pIn a bid to make Kolkata cleaner the municipal corporation has decided to dispose of garbage from the entire city through the modern compactor methodp

pWith the assembly elections slated for next year the state has now sanctioned a special fund for the modernization of the solid waste management scheme In fact buoyed by the success of the first phase of the project even chief minister Mamata Banerjee has herself taken keen interest in funding the plan as Kolkata is now being perceived as a cleaner city With assurance from the state the Kolkata Municipal Corporation now plans to set... Read more..

Solar panels to be installed in five sports complexes in Haryana

pSolar panels would be installed in five sports complexes in order to promote solar energy in the state Haryana39s Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Vij told the state assembly here todayp

pVij was replying to a question raised on the second day of the Haryana Assembly39s monsoon session here todayp

pThe Sports Minister said that the department was getting solar panels fixed on the roofs of three big and two small sports stadiums at Gurgaon Faridabad Rohtak Panchkula and Narwanap

pThis would help save electricity and encourage the people of the State to install... Read more..

Analysis Growing domestic demand convincing solar companies to invest in India

pWith JA Solar announcing yesterday that construction is soon to begin on a 500 MW solar cell facility in Indiarsquos Andhra Pradesh state the future for Indiarsquos domestic solar market looks more robust than everp

pGTM Researchrsquos senior solar analyst Mohit Anand believes that JA Solarrsquos plans ndash which include a further 500 MW solar module facility by 2017 ndash allied to a recent 2 GW module production commitment from Chinarsquos Trina Solar are an encouraging sign of the solar industryrsquos belief that India is poised to enter the PV fast lanep

pquotThe JA... Read more..

India Wastes 30 To 40 Lakh Tones Of Onion Annually Due To Shortage Of Storage Facilities

pApproximately 30 to 40 lakh tones of onion production is wasted almost each year due to nonavailability of proper storage facilities as India39s onion production annually is pegged at 190 lakh tones against its estimated availability of 150160 lakh tones to end consumers according to Joint Secretary Ministry of Commerce Mr Santosh Sarangip

pStrongly making a sound case for creation of chains of storage facilities for agri and horti products across the country the Joint Secretary sought both private and public investments for such facilities without any delay to cater to domestic as... Read more..

UP losing fertile top soil govt seeks Rs 10crore central fund

pUttar Pradesh soil is losing its fertility content Except Maharajganj all 74 other districts of the state have reported a low level of black humus mdash a carbon compound vital for fertility of the soil states official recordsp

pThe government is now looking for central funds to better the situation A proposal seeking a fund of Rs 10 crore under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture has been sent to the Centre for taking steps to replenish black humus level in soilp

pAgriculture officials admitted that humus level in soilrsquos upper layer has been going down for... Read more..

No green nod for CIL to expand output in existing units

pStateowned Coal India which is targeting 908 million tonnes of output by 2020 has been denied environment clearance for expansion of onetime production capacity by 50 per cent in existing operations without public hearingp

pWith future coal mining projects stuck in delay over acquisition of land and rehabilitation and resettlement RampR issues among others CILBSE 099 had applied for environment clearance for onetime production capacity expansion by 50 per cent in existing operations without public hearingp

pquotBlanket permission for 50 per cent expansion without public... Read more..

Rich countries discuss 100bn climate finance pathway

pstrongCLIMATE CASHstrong Ministers from 18 countries who in 2009 promised to deliver 100 billion a year in climate funds by 2020 met on Sunday in Paris to discuss how they would find the cash and what type of finances would countp

pIn a two page statement they said all were committed to hitting the target and offered a brief definition of ldquoour common understanding of mobilised climate financerdquo Funds they say count include loans export credit agency finance development finance and derisking finance instruments Herersquos the full statementp

pSignatories as follows... Read more..

CSE wants Delhis draft solar policy implemented across India

pWelcoming the draft solar policy for Delhi which makes installation of solar panels on rooftops of buildings mandatory a green body today urged the Union New and Renewable Energy Ministry to promote a similar policy across the countryp

pThe Centre for Science and Environment CSE said the Delhi Dialogue Commission DDC presented the draft policy to Delhi Government recently which aims at achieving a target of 1 GW of rooftop solar installation by 2020 and 2 GW by 2025p

pquotThe state policy is very exhaustive and addresses issues regarding net metering grid connectivity and... Read more..

100 smart cities Think tanks to converge for IITB initiative

pIIT Bombay Alumni Association is looking to collaborate with the government to assist in providing solutions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi39s flagship programme of creating 100 smart citiesp

pThe association has conceptualised a platform 39Global Business Forum39 GBF under which it will bring all the stakeholders in the realty industry under one roof to discuss the issues related to the sector during a seminar to be held between October 16 to 18 this yearp

pThrough GBF representatives from national and international businesses trade delegations academia and governments... Read more..

India may rope in ecommerce giants Flipkart Amazon Snapdeal to sell solar products

pThe government is roping in the popular marketing platforms of ecommerce companies Flipkart Amazon and Snapdeal to promote solar energy in the country according to a senior government official who did not wish to be namedp

pThe ministry of new and renewable energy MNRE has been writing to these firms to showcase solar energy products such as water heaters lanterns chargers house systems lights and coolers on their platformsp

pldquoWe have been writing to Flipkart Amazon and Snapdeal to showcase more solar products to sell as none can match their reach today We want to... Read more..