Low Carbon News in India in August 2015
Indian Government unveils list of 98 Smart Cities that emerged winners of nationwide competition
The union government on Thursday released the list of 98 cities that will be developed under the Smart Cities mission. These cities together have a population of 13 crore, accounting for 35 per cent of India’s urban population.
The metros with a population of over 50 lakh each on Smart Cities list include Chennai, Greater Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Greater Mumbai. Some of the other important urban local bodies that have been included in the list are the New Delhi Municipal Council, Vishakhapatnam, Chandigarh, Surat, Kochi, Bhopal, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Bhubaneswar, Amritsar, Jaipur, Allahabad and Lucknow.
The Smart Cities mission, launched by PM Narendra Modi in June this year, will provide central funding of Rs 48,000 crore to the selected cities for improving their infrastructure and service delivery through application of better technology and e-governance.
Indian Wind Resource Atlas at 100m Level: Online GIS
The new Indian Wind Atlas was launched recently. The Atlas is an important online GIS (Geographic Information System) tool for identification of the regional and local wind energy potential in India. It contains average annual values of Wind Speed (m/s), Wind Power Density and Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) calculated for an average 2 MW turbine at 100 m. In the atlas the resultant layers are at very high resolution and joint frequency tables have been derived for the entire country at 500 m resolution. Also, high resolution Re-analysis data set has been used for the study- NCEP/CFSR which enhanced the accuracy of the mapping. The Atlas uses dynamic meso-micro coupled WRF modelling technique.
The Atlas will help policy makers at Centre and State Governments to deal with issues related to tariff fixation, transmission, grade frequency etc and providing better infrastructure for the investors. He said that he is personally very delighted that the ministry has provided such crucial information in public domain at free of cost. He assured that the Ministries of Coal, Power and New & Renewable Energy will keep on providing more and more data in public domain and thus work on bringing transparency in the system.
UK to fund Kolkata’s climate action plan; road map soon
The United Kingdom will fund a capacity building programme for making Kolkata a low carbon city.
Ahead of implementation of the UK-Kolkata Municipal Corporation joint programme, the UK Minister of State for International Development Desmond Swayne was present a workshop for sensitising Councillors of the city’s 16 boroughs.
The Minister said the programme will cover over 20 multi-sectoral projects, including roof-top solar plant, a mobility plan, a master plan for energy-efficient street lighting, a disaster management plan and a green city business and investment plan.
Low Cost Financing for Renewable Energy
The Government has taken following major initiatives in coordination with different Ministries/Departments for mobilizing the low cost financing for renewable energy projects which inter-alia includes low cost borrowing through multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies i.e. World Bank, Asian Development Bank, KfW Germany, etc.; inclusion of Renewable Energy Projects in Priority Sector Lending Norms of Commercial Banks; and approval for issuance of tax free infrastructure bonds for funding renewable energy projects during the FY 2015-16.
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28
National Clean Energy Fund
Upto the year 2014-15, an amount of Rs 16388.81 crore has been collected as coal cess for National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF). As per the budget estimates during 2015-16 an amount of Rs 13118.04 crore will be collected as coal cess for NCEF.
The National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) is created for funding research and innovative projects in clean energy technologies. As per the budget estimates during 2015-16 an amount of Rs 13118.04 crore will be collected as coal cess for NCEF, as against collection of Rs 8916.46 crore in the year 2014-15. Out of 44 projects recommended for NCEF support in renewable energy, 30 projects are awaiting allocation under NCEF.
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28
Govt to Distribute Unnat Chulhas and Solar Devices to Rural and Tribal Population
In order to provide clean cooking and lighting benefits to rural and tribal population living in forest fringes and protected areas, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has taken up the programme for intensive distribution of Renewable Energy Devices. Under the programme devices like Unnat Chulhas, Solar Cookers, Solar Lamps, Solar home lighting Systems etc will be distributed by using the funds of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Now this programme has been included in the definition of forest protection and conservation measures and management of notified forest/protected areas. A cumulative of not less than 70% of funds utilized/earmarked under the Net Present Value (NPV) component are to be used for the core activities, which could be earmarked for distribution of renewable devices in areas covering national parks, Sanctuaries and reserve forests. In this regard the states and union territories have been requested to indicate their targets for Distribution of Unnat Chulhas, Solar Cookers, Solar Lamps, and Solar Home Lighting Systems in forest fringes and protected areas for the next five years to Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28
Three New Tools to Aid Indian Companies Advance Climate Action
India Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Program launched a series of three new, India specific tools and methodologies for companies to effectively measure, manage and mitigate their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the India Business and Climate Summit 2015.
Currently, Indian companies rely upon international tools and methodologies to calculate emissions. The emission factors developed by the India GHG Program using a wide stakeholder approach offer India specific methodologies for companies to calculate emissions from the power and transport sectors.
Memorandum of Understanding between India and France to establish basis for cooperative institutional relationship to encourage and promote technical bilateral cooperation on new and renewable energy issues
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, gave its ex-post-facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and France The signing of the MoU will help establish the basis for a cooperative institutional relationship to encourage and promote technical bilateral cooperation on the new and renewable energy issues, on the basis of mutual benefit, equality and reciprocity. The MoU envisages constitution of a Joint Working Group which can co-opt other members from scientific institutions, research centres, universities or any other entity, as and when considered essential. The MoU will also help in strengthening bilateral cooperation between India and France.
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=28
Swiss agency offers technical support on climate change
India and Switzerland need to enhance their partnership and strengthen ties on issues of climate change, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation’s assistant director general Pio Wennubst said offering technical support to projects on green initiative here.