Greenpeace releases energy outlook report on India
Mar 26, 2009 Green Technologies
India’s 35 percent electricity demands can be met from renewable energy by 2030 and 50 percent of the projected energy requirements can be met simply from smart and efficient generation, distribution and use of energy, according to a Greenpeace International report. Using renewable resources can ameliorate the lives of the 600 million plus Indians who have no access to electricity today.
Greenpeace released the second version of the “Energy [R] evolution: A sustainable India Energy Outlook,” a report analysing the current scenario and calling for political will to back solutions for India’s energy that is secure, technically feasible and sustainable in a climate challenged world. The report shows how ambitions of economic growth and development can be met while curbing India’s carbon emissions.
“Unlike other energy scenarios that promote energy futures at the cost of the climate, our energy revolution scenario shows how to save money and maintain global economic development without fuelling catastrophic climate change. All we need to kick start this plan is bold energy policy from India’s leaders” said Sven Teske, Greenpeace International’s Renewable Energy Expert and lead-author of the report. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Greenpeace, India
Tata Nano launches; bookings start in April, deliveries in July
Mar 23, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Tata Nano
The Tata Nano has finally got a concrete on-sale date at yesterday’s glitzy launch party, sidestepping the myriad of hurdles plaguing the project since last year. With a base price tag of a magical Indian Rupees 100000 (1 lac), which translates to less than $2000 at current exchange rates, hundreds of thousands are expected to put their name down for a Nano, including many Indian middle class families previously limited to motorbikes or public transport.
The Nano comes with a 624cc 2 cylinder engine and while its claimed 25 kmpl (56 mpg) fuel efficiency may have otherwise put a smile on the face of environmentalists, the expected huge numbers to be sold may make a not so negligible contribution to India’s oil import bills and the congestion and air pollution in its cities.
One can book the car between April 9 and 25 and it is expected to be delivered in July. With demand set to far outstrip supply, the first 100,000 owners will be picked at random, till a new plant in Gujarat, India comes onstream next year. The Nano can be booked at more than 30,000 locations in 1,000 cities across India, including Tata’s department and electronics stores, with booking forms costing 300 rupees ($6). It can also be booked online (www.tatanano.com).
The Nano has and is going to have a profound environmental, social and economic impact. Read the rest of this entry »
Forbes publishes list of Heroes of Philanthropy
Mar 8, 2009 Philanthropy and Corporate Initiatives, Social Initiatives
Even as the world battles the current economic crisis, there have been people who are still being very generous with their help for the less fortunate. It is not necessarily the richest who make the maximum impact with their contributions. Everyone knows about Bill Gates and Warren Buffett promising billions, but its is really encouraging to see Forbes magazine coming out with their annual list of Asian Heroes of Philanthropy, which contains names which not gracing the Rich List, still makes tangible contributions for social good.
“Many opened up their chequebooks to help the victims of the Sichuan earthquake and the Myanmar cyclone in May. Many more donated to health, education, cultural and other causes,” Forbes said in an accompanying report. The list contains 48 names: 4 from India, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, besides another four from Australia and New Zealand.
Read the full article and find the full list here.
Tags: Asia, Forbes, India, Philanthropy
Sub-$10 “audio computer” trials underway in Ghana
Feb 16, 2009 Education/Literacy, Healthcare, Social Initiatives
Talking Book
Non-profit organization Literacy Bridge have announced a pilot program of their so-called Talking Book Devices, which the company describes as a “sub-$10 audio computer”. The compact devices can be programmed with various spoken-word lessons, aimed to assist in educating people without access to formal education or electricity.
Interestingly, content can also be shared between two devices without a PC or a network, and even recorded directly to the device, which Literacy Bridge hopes will allow for information to be easily distributed, and make it useful even outside the classroom. This will make it a more useful device than the $30 “laptop” from India.
The pilot study will sharing of content on various disease prevention techniques and farming best practices. These devices can be in future be paired with textbooks, so that learners can engage in comprehension and pronunciation activities, play back lessons at various speeds, engage in multiple-choice style question-and-answer sessions, and access other interactive activities. Read the rest of this entry »
Mumbai’s green dreams
Feb 9, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
Greening Mumbai
Mumbai is known for being the economic and entertainment capital of India (and lately for the terror attacks and being the backdrop of Slumdog Millionaire). Now it may be starting to get green buildings as well.
As one of five international architecture firms invited by Kohinoor CTNL Infrastructure Co. Ltd. to participate in a design competition to create a mixed-use urban development project in Mumbai, US based Perkins Eastman has showcased two different skyscraper designs, both of which would be a green addition to the skyline of the city. The first approach is to design a singular 33-story, 108,000-square meter skyscraper with a double story retail base and the other approach is to develop two mid-rise buildings each covering 66,700-square meters.
The plans incorporate systems to generate electricity using renewable energy, harness rainwater and keep the air surrounding the buildings clean with abundant façade plantings and a green roof. The architecture will also incorporate technologies such as solar chimneys and intelligent façade designs for maximizing daylight. Terracotta and solar panels will form an interesting juxtaposition. Read the rest of this entry »
More images after the jump.
Tags: Green Architecture, India, Kohinoor, Mumbai
$30 laptop that does not look like a laptop
Feb 5, 2009 Social Initiatives, Stars, Policy and Finance
Sakshat
After hyping up the $20 laptop, the Indian answer to the OLPC, what came out was disappointing to say the least. What was shown on February 3rd was a “ultra low-cost” computing-cum-access device that can “make wonders” in the dissemination of education to the remotest corners of India.
Christened “Sakshat“, the 10” long and 5” wide hand-held device, resembling a modem, rather than a laptop, will supposedly help e-learners access the Web easily. Priced versions of e-content available on the Net can be accessed through this device.The cost of the device shot up to between $20 and $30 against the initial plan to peg it at $10.
Question is how much will the users have to actually fork out when you add a display or a printer to access those e-learning materials? In my opinion, the Simputer, another low cost computer design, unveiled in India in 2001 was better than this one. Atleast it had keyboard and screen! This is a joke of a laptop - one made in bad taste. Read the rest of this entry »
NDTV India organising “Greenathon”
Jan 30, 2009 Natural Resource Conservation, Philanthropy and Corporate Initiatives, Social Initiatives
Greenathon
NDTV, one of India’s largest news channels is going to organise a “Greenathon” on 7 and 8th February. This will consist of extensive clean up drives across the country, movie screenings, music concerts and other activities organized across the country.
Toyota seems to be the main sponsor (though it was Honda which gave India its first hybrid last year, the Civic Hybrid) and celebrities and experts like Preity Zinta, popular actress and Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have come on board.
Check out more details at the website. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Greenathon, India, NDTV
Spanish-Indian joint initiative to fight cimate change
Jan 7, 2009 Green Technologies, Natural Resource Conservation, Stars, Policy and Finance
TERI-IDAE
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India and the Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE), Government of Spain, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) announcing their interest in collaborating and co-operating in the fields of clean energy, especially in the rational use of energy and in development of renewable energy, mainly solar energy
The activities proposed to be undertaken under this MoU include strengthening of capacities for energy technology innovation, with special focus in promoting wind and solar technologies to increase energy conservation and for a cleaner energy supply. The forms of cooperation under this MoU include exchange of technical information and experience, technical and managerial personnel and holding of conferences and seminars for sensitisation. TERI would work closely with IDAE in its establishment, including human resources and infrastructure development; working out the research agenda and its plan of action so that the aims of IDAE are met. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Global Warming, IDAE, India, spain, TERI
India to get its first hydrogen fuel pump
Dec 26, 2008 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Indian Oil
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country’s largest oil marketing company by sales, will open India’s first hydrogen fuel-dispensing station in New Delhi next month. The fuel pump will cost Rs 5 crore to setup, with funding from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
The hydrogen fuel pump will dispense a mix of hydrogen and CNG roughly in the ratio 20:80 to a group of test vehicles comprising three-wheelers and passenger vehicles, which already run on CNG. The mixture will allow the vehicles to run with minor modifications.
According to a Business Standard report, General Motors India has confirmed that Equinox, its hydrogen-powered fuel cell car — has been sounded out by IOC as a possible test vehicle in India in the coming months. But fuel cell vehicles, like the Honda FCX Clarity, available now in US, require pure hydrogen to run. BMW has tested with using hydrogen in conventional internal combustion engines.
Although hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, it rarely occurs in free elemental form and requires huge energy to obtain from sources like water. If the energy required for electrolysis comes from conventional sources. environmental benefits will be less. Hydrogen is also expensive to store and transport, as it has to be stored in highly compressed/liquid form and is potentially explosive. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: CNG, Hydrogen, India, Indian Oil
West Bengal in India announces new solar cell production facilities
Dec 26, 2008 Information of the Day
The state of West Bengal in India reaffirmed its seriousness in being the green energy hub with announcements of setting up 3 solar photovoltaic material production facilities, all of which are scheduled to come on-stream by 2009.
Avant Garden Development Company plans to setup a production facility with an investment of INR160 crores ($35 million) to produce photovoltaic cells of capacity 30Mw annually, Vikram Solar will invest INR100 crores ($22 million) while INR 40 crores ($8 million) will come from Sova Ispat Alloys Ltd. This is in addition to an investment of INR 55000 croes ($1.1 billion) promised by Bhaskar Silicon earlier in 2008, which is setting up a plant capable of producing pnales of capacity 250 Mw annually. The company says the project would be the first integrated polysilicon solar plant in the country and will start operations in 2009 and be fully functional by 2011.
Currently, West Bengal produces 30Mw of solar modules annually,according to West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency. The state government has set ambitious target of generating 500Mw of electricity from renewable resources by 2015.
Tags: India, Solar Energy, West Bengal