Low Carbon News in India in January 2015
Climate change: Government to focus on solar & other green sources of Energy, says PM Narendra Modi
At the first meeting of the reconstituted Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change held on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his government’s intent to focus on solar and other “green” sources of energy. The prime minister suggested that the idea of creating a consortium of nations with the greatest solar energy potential. Additionally, the meeting also laid the ground work for a mission mode for harnessing wind energy and aggressively moving forward on waste to energy.
Prime Minister Modi’s stress on green energy was clear, when he suggested that the focus on tackling climate change should not be limited to emissions and reductions in the amount of carbon alone. Instead, he suggested that more needs to be done to focus on clean energy generation, energy conservation and energy efficiency.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/climate-change-government-to-focus-on-solar-other-green-sources-of-energy-says-pm-narendra-modi/articleshow/45947827.cms
At first meeting, Modi council okays 4 new climate initiatives
As the government Monday decided to broaden the range of actions it is taking to combat climate change and its impacts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said traditional Indian practices and lifestyle could help in achieving the climate objectives.
At its first meeting since the new government took charge last year, the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change gave its go-ahead to the launch of four new initiatives — on wind energy, coastal zone management, health and waste-to-energy — to strengthen India’s response to climate change. These would be in addition to the eight existing climate ‘missions’ that have been running for a few years now.
The meeting reviewed the functioning of these ‘missions’ as also the implementation of the seven-year-old National Action Plan on Climate Change and the state-level plans of the various state governments. Many of these ‘missions’ will be given new targets and new direction. Sources said the Prime Minister stressed on strengthening India’s climate response and talked about raising awareness about the issue. He also emphasised on the need to introduce climate sensitivity in all government programmes and activities.
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/at-first-meeting-modi-council-okays-4-new-climate-initiatives/#sthash.9OlpXn5t.dpuf
Govt plans to rope in 50k to man solar plants
The government is betting on 50,000 youths to implement a part of its ambitious plan of achieving 100 GW of solar capacity by 2022. The nodal ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) is drafting a Cabinet note that will lay down the contours of engaging a battery of young and unemployed population in maintaining and running solar plants of 25,000 MW capacity across the country.
Government officials that FE spoke to said that the plan seeks to achieve two-pronged objective. One, the government hopes that involving local population and providing them with sustainable jobs will help ease the land acquisition process. Second, installing solar power plants around power station for local consumption will save the transmission cost and keep the tariff down.
http://www.financialexpress.com/article/economy/govt-plans-to-rope-in-50k-to-man-solar-plants/35249/
Foreign bodies pledge $5 bn for solar mission
The government’s ambitious plan of achieving 100 GW of solar capacity by 2022 has managed to enthuse foreign financial institutions to commit nearly $5 billion so far to the country’s solar mission.
German bank Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW) has turned out to be the biggest lender with a commitment of $1 billion to the green energy corridor that is aimed at synchronising electricity produced from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, with conventional power stations in the grid.
http://www.financialexpress.com/article/economy/foreign-bodies-pledge-5-bn-for-solar-mission/35250/
Wind energy mission addition awaits nod
Under a proposed action plan, the ministry will strengthen grid infrastructure for wind power and identify high wind power potential zones.
The government is to introduce a ‘wind energy mission’ in the National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPPC). Officials said formal induction awaited consent from the prime minister.
The proposed National Wind Energy Mission, drafted by ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) in April 2014, aims to create a conducive investment environment for investors in the wind energy sector. It has been waiting for the cabinet’s nod. After being inducted in NAPPC, the mission would be India’s focal point to invite investment from the world over in the sector.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/wind-energy-mission-addition-awaits-nod-115012001380_1.html
Draft master plan for Solar City in Kochi presented
The draft master plan for a Solar City project in Kochi, with a financial outlay of Rs. 696.59 crore, was presented before various stakeholders on Monday.
The proposal drawn up by the All India Institute of Local Self Governance, New Delhi, has estimated that by 2021, Kochi city would need 975 million units (MU) of power per year.
The draft plan has proposed to reduce the dependence of conventional energy by 10 per cent in five years through renewable energy sources and energy efficiency initiatives. It was estimated that the city can achieve an “aggregate reduction of 155.42 MU” in five years.
It has also been assessed that the renewable energy interventions alone can achieve 93.64 MU of this with a substantial contribution towards the overall reduction from industrial (33.25 per cent) and residential (29.36 per cent) sectors.
www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/draft-master-plan-for-solar-city-in-kochi-presented/article6804225.ece
750 MW solar park planned in Gujarat
After setting up Asia’s largest 500 MW solar park at Charnka village in Patan, the state government plans to set up an even bigger solar park with an estimated capacity of 750 MW in Vav taluka of Banaskantha district.
Government sources said that a formal proposal has already been forwarded to the union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE). Over 1,400 hectares land has been identified in Vav and talks are on with the state revenue department for its acquisition. The total cost of setting up solar park will be decided after negotiations for the land is complete, said an official.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/750-MW-solar-park-planned-in-Banaskantha/articleshow/45754282.cms
PSBs to accept solar rooftop cost as part of home loan proposals
Public sector banks (PSBs) are to accept rooftop solar installation cost as part of home loan or home improvement proposals of individual customers.
The Union Finance Ministry is reported to have advised the PSBs to encourage home loan/ home improvement loan seekers to install rooftop solar units and include the cost of such equipment in their loan proposals. The proposals may include non-solar lighting, wiring and other such fittings, among others.
Rooftop solar plants, which will produce clean electricity, have become economically viable at about Rs.7 per kWh without any subsidy. The government is providing a subsidy of 15 per cent (revised from 30 per cent earlier) on these plants to the beneficiaries.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/psbs-to-accept-solar-rooftop-cost-as-part-of-home-loan-proposals/article6758387.ece
Floating solar power plant in Kolkata
A floating solar thermal power plant conceptualised and implemented indigenously will be inaugurated next week at Rajarhat near Kolkata. The pilot project has 10 KW capacity.
The experimental project, the first such floating solar power plant in the country, has been promoted by the Union Ministry of Renewable Energy and conceptualised by city-based Arka Renewable Energy College.
The power generated would be supplied to the West Bengal State Electricity Development Corporation Ltd. The plant has been set up at a water body provided by the New Town Kolkata Development Authority.
The former chief of the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency, S.P. Gonchaudhuri, said such projects had the potential of solving the land availability problem that a solar power project faces.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/floating-solar-power-plant-in-kolkata/article6746825.ece