Think India Foundation

India could face 200 mt coal shortfall by end of 12th Plan

HYDERABAD :  Despite efforts to ramp up indigenous coal production, the Planning Commission feels that India will still face a shortfall of about 200 million tonnes of the fuel source by the end of the 12th Plan Period.

Tapping other resources: I. A. Khan, Advisor Energy, Planning Commission, talking to mediapersons after his special address at the annual general meeting of the Ficci State Council, in Hyderabad on Saturday. — Mohammed Yousuf

I. A. Khan, Advisor Energy, Planning Commission, said India would have to depend on imported coal, unless it is able to tap other natural resources to a greater extent for power production. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

Taps dry as water project fails in Koraput

KORAPUT: Two years ago, residents of Girliguda in Koraput's Kundra block had hoped to receive regular supply of hygienic drinking water as a Rs 19 lakh rural piped water supply project was inaugurated in the village.

But the euphoria over the project was short-lived. The villagers received water only for only a few weeks . Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Madurai civic body looks towards Cauvery for future needs

MADURAI: The city corporation council has passed a resolution to sanction works on the detailed project report (DPR) for the Cauvery drinking water scheme considering the future drinking water needs of the city.

The resolution stated that the population of the city is expected to increase from 15 lakh at present, to 30 lakh within 30 years. As per the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO) guidelines, 135 litres per person per day has to be provided and the corporation needs 203 mld and calculating the population boom, the city may need 405 mld in future. To cater to the present drinking water needs, the civic body has 115 mld from the Vaigai drinking water scheme, while another 12 mld is expected from the Cauvery drinking water scheme which is under process. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

ISS to join hands with US society to harness solar power in space

Chandigarh : The global electricity demand is expected to increase by 87 per cent around 2035. It is believed that by 2050 the world may not be able to fulfill its overall energy requirements in spite of using every available energy resource. In such a scenario, Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) can be seen as a future energy source.

To make this a reality, International Space Society (ISS), India is going to collaborate with National Space Society (NSS), USA, to promote an international consensus on Space-Based Solar Power. Read more

Source : www.indianexpress.com

Corporators write to minister against laxity of Allahabad municipal corporation

ALLAHABAD: Protesting against the insanitary conditions prevailing in the city, corporators from the city have written to the urban development minister, seeking his intervention to ensure cleanliness in different parts of the city.

Leading the corporators, Ramesh Mishra alleged that Allahabad municipal corporation (AMC) officers are assigning sanitary workers jobs other than sanitation. He said there is a clear government order that states that an employee should do the work for the post for which he is appointed. However, this GO is being violated by officers of AMC as they are not utilizing sanitary workers for the cleanliness work, he said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

P'kula MC can use Sec 23-25 for now; tribunal team to scout sites next month

Panchkula : Providing some relief to the municipal corporation (MC) of Panchkula and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), the National Green Tribunal, New Delhi, on Friday ruled that the dumping ground in Sector 23-25 could be used temporarily. However, a two-member expert panel from the tribunal would visit Panchkula next month and submit a report about the best-suited sites for garbage dumps.

The sites in contention include one in Jhuriwala, which already has environmental clearance for a solid waste management plant, besides the Sector 23-25 ground and the one located in Madanwala (Pinjore) suggested by the Hemant Sarin, one of the petitioners in the case. Sarin had raised the issue of fire in the dumping ground of Sector 23-25 that had made the life of residents difficult for many days. The MC informed the tribunal that an FIR had been registered in that regard. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

Green energy from blue sea

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Offshore wind farms to produce power for Kerala

File photo of Donghai Bridge Offshore Wind Farm, Shangai, China. Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT) is preparing to take up a wind monitoring study to identify potential offshore sites in Kerala.

A few years from now, wind farms located at sea could be churning out clean energy to feed the starved power grid in Kerala. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Mobile apps to monitor clean cookstoves adoption in India

NEW DELHI: Qualcomm Incorporated has developed SootSwap, a mobile application for monitoring the adoption of clean cooking technologies, a company official said.  

Approximately three billion people depend on traditional cookstoves for their cooking needs. A study reveals that four million people die every year as a result of inhaling the smoke produced by cooking over these open fires. Read more 

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Protect trees in Mysore city, demand naturalists

Mysore - Bhanu Mohan, President, Parisara Samrakshana Samithi, has accused Mysore City Corporation (MCC) and Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) of taking up unscientific asphalting of roads, alleging that this is in turn affecting the growth trees on the road side.

1) Picture shows the road being asphalted without giving breathing space for the trees planted on the roadside. 2) A mail-box is seen nailed on a tree in city.

In a press release, she has accused the authorities of not taking care of the trees planted on the roadside or on the footpaths during the asphalting process. Bhanu said that the trees should be given breathing space by constructing a concrete fence 3ft. from the trees. Read more

Source : www.starofmysore.com

Solar-powered irrigation pumpset has its limitations, say farmers

TIRUCHI : Chief Minister’s announcement on 8,000 solar IP sets draws praise

Although Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s announcement on extending 80 per cent subsidy for 2,000 solar-powered pumpsets has elicited hearty approbation from a number of farmers, they have a lurking fear on its efficacy as well.

Mahadhanapuram V. Rajaram, working president of the Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association, is sceptical whether such pumpsets would be able to draw water beyond a depth of 50-60 ft (20 metres at the most). Besides, the quantum of water required for irrigation may not be pumped. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Drought dominates grievance day meet

KARUR : ‘Seek release of 10,000 cusecs of Cauvery water’

District Collector S. Jayandhi chairing the farmers grievances' meeting in Karur on Thursday.

Scarcity of drinking water in Karur district found echo in the farmers grievances day meet held here on Thursday with the participants urging Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to seek release of at least 10,000 cusecs of the Cauvery water from Karnataka. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Centre banned commercial borewells in city, state overturned it quietly

The central government's ground water authority had issued a major order in November 2012, banning digging of commercial borewells. When the baton passed to the state authority this April, everything broke.

Manipal ETA Infotech SEZ coming up in Agara. Massive projects like these, need millions of litres of water daily. Pic: Navya P K

While water-strapped Bengaluru is waiting for the mercy of rain gods to bless the Cauvery belt to quench its thirst, water mafia is busy drawing water from just about anywhere: their own bore wells, bore wells of others, lakes and water bodies - wherever one can see water.  As this article goes into publication, the city water board has just announced that Cauvery water supply for Bengaluru will stop in four days. Read more

Source : bangalore.citizenmatters.in

Gorai villagers to take on government over tourism zone plan

MUMBAI: The state government's plan to develop the Gorai-Manori-Uttan belt as a tourism zone has irked the residents. On Thursday, villagers put up black flags across the area to protest against the plan.

Last week, the villagers sent a letter to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, pointing out that the draft development plan published in November 2011 sought to convert 10,000 acres in the Gorai-Manori belt into tourism development zone and development zone. Land earlier marked as no-development zone and preservation zone is to be changed into green zone. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Government discussing setting up of Green Energy Corridors

New Delhi: Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is in Germany to discuss an agreement that would provide support for setting up Green Energy Corridors for transmission of power. 

The aim is to supply 30,000 MW of clean power (wind and solar) to the national grid by 2020. Germany has committed to provide an assistance of Euro 1 billion to India. Read more

Source : english.manoramaonline.com

Greenpeace activists take solar power to Delhi Power minister

New Delhi: Delhi’s Power Minister Haroon Yusuf was in for a shock recently when Greenpeace activists decided to deliver a powerful message to him. To make their point that clean energy can solve Delhi’s energy deficit, they wheeled in a set of solar panels in front of the Minister’s residence and then chained themselves to it.

Greenpeace activists stage a sit-in with solar panels in front of Delhi power minister's residence.

The activists were protesting against Delhi's dull performance on its renewable energy targets as highlighted in the Greenpeace report, ‘Powering Ahead with Renewables: Leaders and Laggards’. Over 75% of Delhi’s electricity comes from coal-fired power plants from other states. During the biggest blackout in India’s history in 2012, Delhi was severely affected and came to a standstill for two days. If decentralised renewable energy like solar power was available, Delhi could have powered itself to a large extent during the grid failure. Read more

Source : www.deccanchronicle.com

Have solar power, can sell to Andhra government soon

HYDERABAD: Hoping to lure residents to opt for solar power by offering monetary benefits, the state government is set to buy power at the rate of Rs 3.50 per unit from domestic consumers who install solar units at their residences and generate power more than their individual requirement.

Hit hard by severe power shortage, the state government is mulling a policy that would allow individual consumers to sell their excess solar power to the state power grid. The cabinet sub-committee headed by finance minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy has almost finalised the rate at which excess power generated at rooftops, terraces and balconies of individuals' houses, apartments and commercial complexes would be bought. "It would be around Rs 3.50 per unit. We will submit a report to chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy in a week's time," a minister, who is a member of the sub-committee, told TOI. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Sharing the burden of going green

The Centre must make richer, more developed States take up the responsibility for switching to renewable energy and reducing the country’s dependence on coal

If there are two words that describe India’s current energy scenario, they will be: inefficient and starving. Power cuts are back with a bang and the country’s apex electricity regulator has confirmed that 21 major coal power plants are running with stockpile that won’t last beyond seven days. Coal, we all know, won’t last forever; yet we insist that we have more of it. We are importing more coal than ever before without worrying that it is pushing the fiscal deficit to dangerous levels. The over-dependence on this fossil fuel, rather than powering India, has instead turned into an Achilles’ heel in India’s growth story. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

No land for planting trees in Delhi: Forest department

NEW DELHI: With urbanisation and infrastructural development taking place rapidly in the national capital, the forest department has been struggling with land to plant trees, an official said Thursday.

Speaking at a public lecture, 'Delhi's Dying Trees', city's chief conservator of forest AK Shukla said hundreds of trees have been felled in the last one decade to build roads, flyovers, Delhi Metro and other infrastructure in the city. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

TN to subsidise solar powered irrigation pump sets

CHENNAI : The Tamil Nadu Government will distribute 2,000 solar powered agriculture pump sets at subsidised rates to farmers in the current year, announced the Chief Minister, J. Jayalalithaa in the Assembly today.

The Agriculture Department will distribute the 2,000 pump sets of 5 hp fitted with solar tracking device during 2013-14. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

Cement-makers want green status for power generated through waste-heat recovery

HYDERABAD : Co-generation of power through waste-heat recovery process in cement plants should be given renewable energy status, according to N. A. Vishwanathan, Secretary-General, Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA). The two-day conference has about 80 presentations from industry experts.

Greener power: Green tech motors from Seimens displayed at the Green Cementech in Hyderabad on Thursday. — P. V. Sivakumar

Speaking at inaugural session of Green Cementech 2013 here on Thursday, he said Indian cements plants were trendsetters in energy conservation measures. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

Impact study of dam commences

BERHAMPUR: Engineers from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Central Water Commission (CWC) on Wednesday started a survey to study the impact of the proposed Katragadda project over river Vansadhara near Kasinagar in Gajapati district. The survey is being carried out at the direction of the Vansadhara Tribunal, said chief engineer and basin manager of Rushikulya-Nagabali-Vansadhara rivers R N Swain here. "We have five engineers and several others to assist them in the survey work that started from Narediin Rayagada district," he said. The survey will be completed on May 22, he added.

Although Odisha and Andhra Pradesh governments had conducted survey on impact of the project separately, it was for the first time the joint survey involving the CWC being taken up, the chief engineer said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Few takers for govt panel report on HEPs

VARANASI: Noted environmental scientist of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) expert Prof BD Tripathi has outrightly rejected inter-ministerial group recommendation of re-engineering hydro electric projects to maintain 30-50% water flow during the lean period of December-March. The group was headed by Planning Commission member B K Chaturvedi. 

"It is not a question of merely maintaining Ganga's water flow. The quality and character of water flowing in the river is equally important," said Prof Tripathi. Rejecting Chaturvedi panel's report he said it was not in the interest of Ganga and described it as a "sarkari report" prepared to suit the government. Several environmentalists, including director general of Centre for Science and Environment Sunita Narain and Tarun Bharat Sangh chief 'Waterman' Rajendra Singh have already objected to the report. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Desalination plant planned near Gopalpur

BERHAMPUR: A desalination plant that will convert sea water into potable one is being planned near Gopalpur in Ganjam district. The Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) has decided to install a 5-million litre per day (mld) capacity plant to meet the industrial and potable drinking water requirements for its Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM) at Matikhala near Chhatrapur.

The Rs 112.90-crore project is scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2019, the Union minister of state for personnel, public grievances, pensions and prime minister's office V Narayanasamy told Rajya Sabha member Renubala Pradhan in a reply recently. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

All eyes on government to solve sewage problem

NAGPUR: The cash-strapped Nagpur municipal corporation (NMC) is helpless in stopping the flow of sewage into the river or ensuring its treatment. However, since managing sewage is necessary to ensure the Nag River remains a clean water body, all eyes are on two projects pending with the central government for clearance. Mayor Anil Sole and municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane are hoping for total rejuvenation of the river within two years if gets the projects are approved.

Sole told TOI the quantity of sewage flowing in the river is huge. "Over 450 million litres per day (MLD) sewage is flowing through the entire city every day. NMC is operating 80 MLD sewage treatment plant and started construction of 130 MLD plant at Bhandewadi. We need to construct sewage pipelines for safe collection and carriage of sewage to the treatment plants, and have capacity to treat entire quantity. Two projects have been submitted to the government and approval is awaited," he said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Japan can help India in waste water management

Tokyo (ANI): A growing population combined with a huge demand of water for development purposes, has put excessive stress on available water resources in India.

From 813 billion cubic metres in 2010 the demand of water is set to reach 1,093 billion cubic metres by 2025 in the country. Read more

Source : www.newstrackindia.com

Civic officials in Visakhapatnam hold meeting with WB team on sanitation policy

VISAKHAPATNAM : Officials of Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA &UD) and from four municipal corporations had a meeting on Monday with a World Bank team on National Urban Sanitation Policy.

According to Municipal Commissioner M.V. Satyanarayana who participated in the meeting in Hyderabad, the policy envisages totally doing away with open defecation, construction of individual and community toilets and scientific management of solid waste management. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Residents of Sukhdev Vihar want waste plant to go, pledge terraces for solar panels

NEW DELHI: Residents of Sukhdev Vihar's Pocket B have embarked on a unique mode of protest against the government's waste-to-energy plant in the area. They have pledged their rooftops for solar panels to increase the city's renewable energy supply so that technology like incineration may be abandoned altogether. 

"We have 18 blocks with four buildings each and there is a lot of open rooftop area that can be dedicated to solar panels. The idea is excellent and we have volunteered the space but would like the government to work with us. Solar power is quite expensive and not everyone will find it easy to install such projects. The government should step up and involve the resident welfare associations in a bigger project to set up rooftop solar panels," Anshu Garg, president of Sukhdev Vihar's Pocket B RWA, said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Plan to Revive Mythical River Dries Up

A project, spearheaded by India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corpo ration, to make water flow in the Saraswati, a sacred river that dried up around 4,000 years ago, has stalled and prospects of getting it moving again appear bleak.

A Hindu devotee prayed as he stood in the waters of Sangam, the confluence of the Yamuna, River Ganges and the mythical Saraswati rivers at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, Feb. 10.

ONGC, a state run oil company, began drilling in 2005 near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, in order to revive the river with the hope of eventually bringing a new water source to parts of Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Read more

Source : stream.wsj.com

National Media Centre residents oppose HUDA ‘takeover’ of their green belt

GURGAON: The residents of the National Media Centre (NMC) have alleged that the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) "forcibly entered the green belt area through the NMC's manned security gate one fine morning last week and used earth-moving equipment to forcibly demolish the guard post and boundary wall".

However, HUDA administrator Praveen Kumar said the green belt belonged to HUDA and HUDA had done nothing illegal. On the contrary, Praveen Kumar said, the planned road-widening was in the larger interest of the city. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

India Rides on a Growth Curve

The year 2012 was important in India’s perspective as the plan for the next five years was laid in this year. Based on those plans, the country will continue its further journey towards attaining the economic growth. Therefore, 2013 is expected to witness implementation of plans, schemes and decisions that have been taken a year before.

The new year has brought in new hopes, especially in the Indian businesses. The Government of India has released its Five Year Plan 2012-17, which is expected to boost the Indian businesses in many sectors. At the same time, foreign companies continue to look at India as an investment destination. This approach has led towards many partnerships and joint ventures. One of such notable joint ventures (JV) in 2012 was between Russian oil giant Sibur and Reliance Industries (RIL). Read more

Source : www.bulk-solids-handling.com

People's park going down the rain in Mysore

Despite several public demonstrations to save People’s Park, it seems well on its way to ruin. For decades, the park had been encroached by a PU College, Tennis Club, temple, dargah, private bus stand, etc., but no one paid much attention, least of all, Mysore City Corporation (MCC) and Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA)which should have protected the park.

A few years ago when MCC leased part of the park to build a public library-cum-commercial complex and a hundred trees were cut, the public rose up in protest and the project was quickly shelved. Read more

Source : www.starofmysore.com

Reliance Power Solar-Thermal Plant Stalled by Water Delay

A Reliance Power Ltd. (RPWR) solar-thermal plant should start up next month after missing a May deadline because Indian authorities failed to lay a water pipeline to the site in time, Chief Executive Officer Jayaram P. Chalasani said.

The 100-megawatt project “is ready to go” as soon as the water arrives, Chalasani told reporters today in Mumbai. The Rajasthan state government is completing the pipeline and the plant should begin generating after testing, he said. Read more

Source : www.bloomberg.com

New technology to instantly convert solar energy into electricity

HYDERABAD : A Vijayawada-based solar energy equipment manufacturer, Jyothi Solar Power Projects has claimed that by using two new technologies together with the existing photo-voltaic (PV) panel system, 91 per cent of the Sun’s energy could be converted into electrical power.

At a meeting to showcase the technologies here on Saturday, P. Lakshminarayana, Director-Technical of the company said they had applied for patents. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Land litigation wreaks havoc on Water Board

HYDERABAD: Improvement of water distribution network and implementation of sewerage master plan in the Rajendranagar circle of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation seems to be a distant dream for locals. 

The Rs 314 crore mega project was taken up by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission a few years ago. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Solar power all set to heat things up as state pushes the rooftop scheme

CHENNAI : After making rain water harvesting a mass movement, the state government is now working towards a mass revolution in generating solar power from the rooftops, according to chairman and managing director of Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency, Sudeep Jain.

Embracing the solar panels may seem as alien as bikes once were to bicycle riders, but this too shall pass, is what experts believe | Martin louis

Hit hard by a power crisis, the state is focusing on renewable energy and has now embarked on a major solar energy initiative by announcing the Solar Energy Policy and is trying to generate 3,000 MW in the next few years, said Jain. Interestingly, solar home lighting is being installed in three lakh houses under the Chief Minister’s Solar Powered Green House Scheme (CMSPGHS) and will be completed by 2015-16. Read more

Source : newindianexpress.com

Bengal focus on e-waste management

Calcutta : The Bengal IT department has initiated the process of setting up an e-waste management and processing unit in an adjoining district of Calcutta.

It is scouting for a suitable plot of land in North and South 24-Parganas and Howrah. Read more

Source : www.telegraphindia.com

Authority to regulate and control water uses coming

NEW DELHI : National Bureau of Water Use Efficiency will focus on irrigation, drinking water supply

The Centre will establish a National Bureau of Water Use Efficiency as an “authority” for “promotion, regulation and control of efficient use of water in irrigation, municipal and industrial uses.” Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Let’s waste no time to trash out Mumbai’s filthy image

It may well claim to be the business, financial and entertainment capital of India, but Mumbai is also the largest generator of waste. 

Every day, nearly 5,000 tonnes of solid waste is generated in the city and a significant part of it ends up uncollected and untreated. Read more

Source : www.khaleejtimes.com

Water from new Pench plant only after summer

NAGPUR: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation(NMC) was supposed to supply an additional quantity of 115 million litres per day (MLD) water to the city from its new Pench-IV water treatment plant (WTP) from the summer of 2011. When this time frame could not be met, the new deadline was set at March 2013. However, the plant is not complete and may commission only after July. Water crisis prevailing in many parts of the city might have been solved to some extent had the plant commissioned before summer.

NESL director Sudhakar Kohle said delay was due to various issues. "The project was executed in four instalments and delayed due to problems of land acquisition and permissions from various government departments, especially forest etc. Water situation during the summer would have been totally different had the plant brought into operation. But efforts are on to commission the plant soon," he said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Delegation of MPs to visit UK to study renewable energy model

New Delhi : A delegation of MPs will visit the UK to study its renewable energy model and hold discussions on low carbon growth and climate change with their British counterparts. 

The visit is being organised by Climate Parliament, an international network of cross-party Parliamentarians, in association with the British High Commission-India. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Upper Lake to be pollution-free: Gaur

BHOPAL: Urban administration and development minister Babulal Gaur has said that nullahs falling into the Upper Lake will be stopped and the lake will be made completely pollution-free. Gaur inspected the lake on cruise and gave necessary directives to officers. 

Gaur said efforts to conserve the lake need to be ensured constantly. For this, SEPT University of Ahmedabad is chalking out a master plan. He informed that Rs. 18.50 crore has been sanctioned recently under JNNURM for conservation of the lake. The minister informed that lighting arrangements will also be made on peripheries of the Upper Lake. He stressed on the need for increasing tourist activities further around the lake. Gaur said CPA should chalk out action plan for intensive plantation around the lake before monsoon. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

'Indian regulatory environment supportive of biz growth'

New Delhi: Buoyed by reform initiatives, majority of senior corporate executives are convinced that the current regulatory environment is supportive of business growth in the country, according to an E&Y survey.

Global consultancy Ernst & Young's survey also found that around 86 percent of the executives consider domestic economy to be stable or improving while investing capital is the priority for about 40 percent of the respondents. Read more

Source : zeenews.india.com

Nod for supplying untreated water to flats,restaurants in Kochi

KOCHI: The district administration will soon permit water tanker owners to supply untreated water to restaurants and apartments having proper treatment facilities.

The move is aimed at redressing the city's water crisis. "Separate permits will be issued to tanker owners soon to supply untreated water. However, they will be allowed to supply water only to those apartments that have water treatment facilities. Permission will also be given to tankers to draw water from the Periyar river," said district collector P I Sheik Pareeth. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Plants being used as alternate source to generate electricity

Washington: Researchers led by an Indian origin professor at the University of Georgia are developing a new technology that will make it possible for plants to generate electricity. "Clean energy is the need of the century," Ramaraja Ramasamy, assistant professor in the UGA College of Engineering and the corresponding author of the paper said. 

"This approach may one day transform our ability to generate cleaner power from sunlight using plant-based systems," he said. Read more

Source : zeenews.india.com

Gurgaon lacks toxic waste disposal policy

GURGAON: There is no policy or guidelines for disposing of toxic waste generated by city hospitals and nursing homes in the city. This shocking fact came to light in a recent RTI reply.

According to the RTI reply, there does not seem to be any specific policy or instructions to dispose of the toxic waste generated by city hospitals, nursing homes and clinics in a safe manner. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Solar power market sees growth, but challenges remain

Solar power tariff is comparable with commercial rates applied for conventional power obtained from fossil fuels.

Powering ahead: An employee rides a battery powered bike in front of an array of solar panels at the Renergy 2013 conference on renewable energy where solar power was the central theme in Chennai on Thursday. — Bijoy Ghosh

CHENNAI : Correcting the misconception of solar power being expensive, getting bank funding and bottlenecks in acquiring land for solar projects are among the major challenges for those keen on investing in this form of renewable energy say industry experts. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

‘Rajasthan national leader in solar energy’

JAIPUR : Rajasthan is set to play a major role in solar and renewable energy, according to its Governor Margaret Alva.

“Energy is the key to progress. At the same time, it is a big challenge too. Rajasthan is a national leader in solar energy and under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, a majority of the solar projects are located in Rajasthan. In wind energy, India is globally positioned at No. 5, generating 11,000 MW after the U.S., Germany, China and Spain,” she said. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Quality rating of rooftop solar products on cards

Chennai : As numerous solar rooftop products are being rolled out in the country, the Union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) is contemplating launching a quality rating system for such products on the lines of the star rating model introduced in consumer goods like air conditioners.

“There are some rating systems but these are intended for the companies, not for the products. We are planning to come out with some quality grading system like the star-rating system for air conditioners. We are working out some mechanisms and will come out with a quality rating system for solar rooftop products,” Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary, MNRE told Financial Chronicle at the renewable energy conference, Renergy 2013, here. Read more

Source : www.mydigitalfc.com

Extended deadline for India’s CSP projects until March 2014

India’s Concentrated Solar Power deployment under first phase of National Solar Mission (JNNSM) has failed –as expected- to be commissioned on time. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has extended deadline for commissioning for ten months from May 9.

Seven CSP projects totaling 470 MW were allocated under phase I of JNNSM back in 2010. The projects, promoted by Corporate Ispat Alloys, Lanco Infratech,Hira Group, Aurum Renewable Energy, KVK Energy,Megha Engineering and Reliance Power, had to be commissioned by May 2013 or would face some penalties if delayed. Read more

Source : www.csp-world.com

Companies vie for Punjab solar energy project

CHANDIGARH: A large number of companies have bid for the proposed 300 MW solar photovoltaic power projects by the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA).

Punjab non-conventional energy minister Bikram Singh Majithia said more than 30 companies participated in the bidding process and total bids for 270 MW were received against targeted allocation for in-house capacity of 300MW of solar power projects. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com