India going GREEN !!

[Chow chow]

IFC invests $4 mn to build solar power plant in India

The solar plant will have the capacity to produce eight million units of power annually, and is expected to avoid approximately 6,600 tonnes of greenhouse-gas emissions per year


New Delhi: International Finance Corporation (Ifc) on Thursday announced an investment of $4 million to build the country’s first large scale grid connected thin-film solar power plant, which will help bolster clean energy locally and provide additional electricity to about 11,000 people.

The investment by Ifc, a member of the World Bank Group, into Sapphire Industrial Infrastructures, a subsidiary of Moser Baer Clean Energy, will support the construction of a 5-megawatt solar plant at Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu.

“Ifc recognises the potential of large-scale solar power generation to help meet India’s enormous energy needs,” country head-Solar Farms at Moser Baer Clean Energy Rajya Ghei said.

The learning from this project will help us replicate similar projects in other Indian states, Ghai added.

The solar plant will have the capacity to produce eight million units of power annually, and is expected to avoid approximately 6,600 tonnes of greenhouse-gas emissions per year.

Grid connected solar electricity has received lukewarm response from the private sector in India due to higher initial investment and generation costs as compared to conventional energy sources.

“The successful commissioning of this first large scale thin film solar photo-voltaic plant demonstrates private sector’s ability to rise to the challenges associated with achieving a balanced energy mix,” Ifc director, Infrastructure Asia, Anita George, said.


IFC invests $4 mn to build solar power plant in India - Corporate News - livemint.com

 

[Chow chow]

India to be third largest investment destination for renewables this year: KPMG

NEW DELHI: India is the third most favoured destination globally for investments in the renewable energy sector and will also be a major source of new entrants into the sector, behind the US and China, according to a survey released on Wednesday by global consulting firm KPMG.

The top five targeted countries for renewable energy investment are the US, selected by 53 percent of respondents, China (38 per cent), India (35 per cent) Germany (34 per cent) and the UK (33 per cent)," according to KPMG's annual survey of global renewable energy mergers and acquisitions titled Green Power 2011.

"Some 78 per cent of all survey respondents expect new players to come from China, followed by North America (59 per cent), India (42 per cent) and Western Europe (41 per cent)," it added.

http://articles.economictimes.india..._renewable-energy-renewable-space-wind-energy

 

[Firemaster]

first of all use dark font

 

[Chow chow]

Investors Keen to Be Part of India's Green Growth

NEW DELHI -- India has made it into the A-list of global investors in renewable energy, a recognition of the country's proactive government energy program, natural resources and mushrooming swathe of entrepreneurs.

India ranked as the third favored destination with 35% of the respondents saying they would invest in India, behind the U.S., which was targeted by 53% of the respondents, and China (38%), according to a report, called Green Power 2011: The KPMG Reneweable Energy M&A Report," released Wednesday by KPMG that is based on a survey of 500 executives active in the renewable energy arena globally.

For instance, India's wind-energy companies, which are in the midst of a hectic pace of development, have attracted more than $586 million of project financing this quarter. This already is 63% of the $934 million raised in all of 2010.

"The Indian market has become increasingly dynamic in recent years as a result of strong natural resources, greater accommodation to international investment compared with China and a variety of government incentives," the report said.

While Indian banks continue to be the main source of funding, international lenders are taking note. HSBC and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. provided $110 million debt project financing in March for a wind farm in the western state of Gujarat.

The pace of growth and investments in India is part of a worldwide trend. Deal activity among renewable energy companies globally surged 70% in 2010, and continues to maintain this hectic clip in the first quarter, according to the report.

In the first quarter, 141 transactions worth $11.2 billion were signed, while last year, an average of 96 deals worth $5.5 billion were announced in each quarter.

"All in all, 2011 looks set to be another buoyant year," the report said, but added a caveat that the first quarter data doesn't reflect the impact of the tsunami in Japan in March.

The survey data also revealed that investors preferred to invest locally rather than across borders. But nearly 60% of Asia-Pacific acquirers said they are targeting India or China. India also features as one of the top three destinations for solar energy companies along with the U.S. and Italy.

"With India it is a combination of factors," said Siobhan Smyth, head of renewables at HSBC, who was interviewed as part of the survey.

"There is a portfolio standard on a state-by-state basis. Developers have the ability to get [public-private agreementss due to utility obligations. Then there are the generation-based incentive and tax-depreciation incentives. You are looking at 15% to 20% returns depending on the state you look at and the type of assets you are buying."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304259304576373131872364182.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

[Chow chow]

India & China seek Green Tech transfer surety for duty cuts

NEW DELHI: India and China have said that developing countries will bring down duties on environmental goods-items that contribute to keep the earth green-only if developed countries agree to transfer technology and sponsor technical and financial assistance programmes.

"Implementation by developing country and LDC members of their commitments under the environmental goods and services framework should be linked to effective technology transfer and assistance to them," the two countries said in a joint statement of the committee on trade and environment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

An agreement on trade in environmental goods and services or EGS is part of the on-going Doha round of the WTO and seeks to bring down duties on environment friendly products. At present, there is no agreement on the definition of environmental goods and the scope of goods to be liberalised.

India & China seek Green Tech transfer surety for duty cuts - Economic Times

 

[Chow chow]

Solar Powered Coke Cooler Taps India Market

Coca Cola isn’t exactly a name which rolls off of the tongue when one thinks about green technology. The last time we reported on them related to cleantech was 2009, when the global soft drink company was test piloting fuel cell vehicles in California. Coke is back on our radar though via news out of India of a solar powered soft drink chest cooler.
The Times of India reports Coca Cola India engineers, working with folks from GM Technical, developed what is called the eKOCool. This device, developed for what looks to be rural markets, is powered entirely off of solar energy and has enough capacity to store two crates of bottled soda. It is also apparently designed to generate enough juice for powering one’s home as well.

Solar Powered Coke Cooler Taps India Market | EarthTechling

 

[Chow chow]

Green India Mission’ to Increase Forest Cover

Dilip Ghosh writes: A 45,000 crore rupees huge programme to increase the country’s green cover is going to be launched soon. The 10 year long programme named Green India Mission, GIM after a preparatory phase of one year will get going from 2012. Addressing a series of functions on the occasion of the World Environment Day on 5th June this year, the Minister for Environment and Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh said that the target is to bring 5 million hectares of forest and non-forest land under green cover and improve the quality of green cover on another 5 million hectare of non-forest land.

Recalling late Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi’s initiative in 1985 to bring 5 million hectares of waste land under green cover every year, Shri Ramesh admitted, “ We are far behind from the original objective” and said that there should be realistic and credible targets this time. There is a difference between the old initiative and the GIM. The Minister said that there will be a fundamental shift in mindset from the traditional focus of merely increasing the quantity of forest cover, towards increasing the quality of forest cover and improving provision of ecosystem services. Unlike the earlier initiative, the GIM will be implemented by Gram Sabhas with the technical and managerial support of the forest personnel. Now money will directly go to the Gram Sabhas and not through forest departments of State Governments. The Minister said “The need for us is to ensure that it should be seen as a programme of local elected bodies.” He said, the restructured Joint Forest Management Committees, JFMCs would play an important role in this.

Again, there will be real time monitoring of forests under this program instead of just expenditure monitoring. The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO will soon launch a series of satellites specially dedicated to monitoring the forest cover. The satellites will revolutionise the monitoring system and help make sensible conclusions about work and progress of forestry programs.

But, the GIM is not merely a plantation program. Its another important aspect is to eliminate poverty. It will address livelihood problems of about 15 million poor people. While addressing the livelihood problems of the poor people, it will also ensure implementation of the Forests Rights Act. Besides, under it, the community youth will be trained to maintain and take forward the fruits of investment in this mission. A senior official of the Ministry of Environment and Forests said, in forestry sector results are not seen in short term; they become apparent only in long term. He said,GIM’s impact could be seen not only in forest areas, but also in wetlands, urban areas, natural eco-systems and grasslands.

The government is hopeful of meeting the GIM’s targets in time as in the past few years the country’s green cover has been steadily rising. According to State of Forests Report 2009 of the Ministry which is based on satellite imagery up to 2007, in the preceding 10 years, India’s forest cover increased by 3.31 million hectares, showing an average 0.46% increase every year. At present, about 21.02% of the country’s geographical area is under green cover. This is a surely commendable achievement when many countries are losing sizeable chunks of forests; for example Brazil which is losing 2.5 million hectares of forests every year.

There is another reason for hope of meeting the GIM targets. Spurred by the need to become eco-friendly and to survive in harmony with the environment, a trend of going green is now fast catching up across the globe and it is reflected in the changing life style of people. India has enrolled itself to join this new trend and pass out with the best result possible. In fact, many of the country’s industrial houses have already initiated green drive. Some State Governments are also in the green mode. The Delhi Government has introduced ‘Energy Conservation Building Code to give clear instructions on construction of new government buildings.

The trend is also catching up with the public. In the country’s fashion industry, many designers now work on environment-friendly clothing and showcase their support for the ‘green’ cause during fashion weeks. Natural fabrics like hand-woven wool from shepherds, natural silks, recycled junk jewellry, organic knits, etc are being widely used. Fashion designers like Rohit Bal, cine stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra and sportsmen like Abhinav Bindra and M S Dhoni have joined various Green campaigns.

A shining example of going green has been set up by the villagers of Mawlynnon, situated 90 km away from the Meghalaya capital, Shillong . It has won the distinction of being the cleanest village in Asia. The village has over 80 houses of which every adult member is a green ambassador who keep his surroundings clean by doing simple voluntary service like sweeping the roads and lanes, watering the plants and cleaning the drains.

But, India is not only setting examples of going green but also continuing with fast economic growth. It is now the Government’s endeavour to have a balanced approach so that both the drives can go hand in hand. On this year’s World Environment Day, Environment and Forests Minister, Shri Ramesh released a United Nations EnvironmentProgramme, UNEP report on ‘Forests in a green economy’ in New Delhi. In his speech on the occasion, he said that with the rise in economic growth and population, the energy needs of the country are bound to grow. Keeping this in view, the government has adopted a “balanced approach” on its nuclear and other power programs. He added, ”Forest cover should be 33% in India. To accomplish this, area would have to be reclaimed from the sea while we increase the monitoring of the forest cover.” The UNEP report has called for a global investment of 40 billion dollars annually to bring down the deforestation rate to half of the present by 2030. India has heeded to the advice and making adequate investment to secure the future of its citizens as well as those of the globe.

Green India Mission

 

[Chow chow]

India takes unique path to lower carbon emissions

(Reuters) - With four times the population of the United States, an economy growing 8-9 percent a year and surging energy demand, India's race to become an economic power has propelled it to No. 3 in the list of top carbon polluters.

India's greenhouse gas emissions will keep rising as it tries to lift millions out of poverty and connect nearly half a billion people to electricity grids. But it is also trying to curb emissions growth in a unique way, fearing the impacts of climate change and spiralling energy costs.

The government is betting big on two market-based trading schemes to encourage energy efficiency and green power across the country of 1.2 billion people, sidestepping emissions trading schemes that have poisoned political debate in the United States and Australia.

"The policy roadmap India is adopting to curb emissions is innovative -- something that will make industries look at making efficiency the centre-piece rather than some step that follows an ineffective carrot and stick policy," said Srinivas Krishnaswamy, CEO of green policy consultants Vasudha India.

In the world's first such national market-based mechanism, called Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT), India is starting a mandatory scheme that sets benchmark efficiency levels for 563 big polluting from power plants to steel mills and cement plants, that account for 54 percent of the country's energy consumption.

The scheme allows businesses using more energy than stipulated to buy tradeable energy saving certificates, or Escerts, from those using less energy, creating a market estimated by the government to be worth about $16 billion in 2014 when trading starts.

The number of Escerts depends on the amount of energy saved in a target year.

LEARNING CURVE

A three-year rollout phase is set to start in September and will help India curb about 100 million tonnes of carbon emissions, the government estimates.

The rollout is aimed at working out hiccups in the process for companies to measure and report their energy use.

India has already rolled out a renewable energy certificate (REC) trading scheme for wind, solar and biomass power plants. Green power comprises about 8 percent of energy production in India, while coal generates more than 60 percent, leading to a hefty coal import bill.

Trading for the REC scheme, which currently occurs once a month, has picked up as more projects participate, underpinning a government plan to ramp up solar power from near zero to 20 gigawatts by 2022, about one eighth of power generation now.

On May 25, a total of 14,002 RECs were traded during the REC trading session on the Indian Energy Exchange valued at $4.6 million, compared with 260 units at the previous session in April.

But concerns remain about how both initiatives will evolve because of a lack of data and trained manpower as well as weak penalties for firms that refuse to comply.

"India has an issue of manpower and data. You look at incomes, industrial activities are growing, the share market might boom but hiring manpower, (building up) capacity and institutions is a long-term game," said Girish Sant, energy analyst at non-profit think tank Prayas.

Some analysts also point to technical gaps in the PAT scheme, including how various units of one company would be graded. There were also limitations that allow REC certificates to be traded only once, limiting the early entry of intermediaries or market makers.

"In order to have an effective cap-and-trade or market mechanism that aids desired reduction in energy use, it is necessary to have targets that are neither too easy nor too difficult to achieve," said leading Indian clean energy project developer and advisory Emergent Ventures in a report on PAT.

But industry observers said it still makes sense for India to opt for a national energy efficiency scheme rather than carbon emissions trading.

"Because the target is intensity, so you are basically asking people to reduce their intensity and that matches the overall target," said Sant of Prayas.

The government has pledged to cut carbon intensity -- the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit of economic output -- by between 20 and 25 percent by 2020, from 2005 levels.

Emissions trading would need an absolute emissions cap, something India does not want to do, saying it needs to keep its economy growing and competitive.

Adapting to the national policy and creating a unique market are a function of time and communication, said Vishwajit Dahanukar, managing director of Managing Emissions, a clean energy project developer, advisory and asset manager.

"That's basically it. It's just early days," he told Reuters from Mumbai.

Rival China is also looking at promoting energy efficiency but most of the government's planned efforts focus more on carbon emissions trading to achieve national climate and pollution goals.

In April, a senior Chinese official said the government would launch pilot emissions trading schemes in six provinces before 2013 and set up a nationwide trading platform by 2015, Thomson Reuters Point Carbon reported. The programme would be based on provincial-level energy consumption targets.

The Chinese government is also considering a cap-and-trade scheme for energy savings in its buildings sector, which accounts for 30 to 40 percent of the country's overall emissions.

According to a government directive, the mechanism would create energy saving credits but the programme was still in the early planning stages, with trading some years away.

"As Chinese industry is much more organised and the political system allows stringent monitoring, it becomes a little easier for them to use emissions trading," said Siddharth Pathak, Greenpeace India's policy officer for climate and energy, told Reuters.

"Also the push back from Indian industry would be much more than China."

India takes unique path to lower carbon emissions | Reuters

 

[Humanist]

$4million is too less... on other side we spend $10-30 billion on nuclear energy..
we need to think about green energy seriously,,, they are the future not nuclear..