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Wishing everybody a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014!

Happy New Year! In 2014, lets join hands to build a sustainable future for the people and the planet. Wherein human well-being is nurtured within a healthy ecosystem.

“The Government of India aims to provide 24x7 electricity to all households in the country and affordable access to electricity in the next 5 years.

Renewable energy technologies provide probably the most sustainable and economic options for energy access. We aim at accelerating the overall deployment of renewable energy in India to achieve around 55 Giga Watt of renewable power by the year 2017.”

PM’s inaugural address at the International Seminar on Energy Access on 9th October, 2012; Press Information Bureau, Government of India

'Power' To The People - A Hindu Newspaper Article

From 7th November to 9th November 2012, the 6th Renewable Energy India 2012 Expo is being held.

6th Renewable Energy India 2012 Expo

IFC,a member of the World Bank Group, and Solar Lights Manufacturer Gautam Polymers have collaborated to provide affordable off grid lighting to about 750,000 rural Indians. The alliance will facilitate Gautam Polymers improve its various processes leading to an increase in sales and reduction in costs. With the support of IFC, Gautam Polymers plans to achieve its target of selling 150,000 solar lighting solutions by June 2014 across all lighting products which includes solar home systems, solar lighting products and charging stations thereby reaching 750,000 people, assuming one product reaches one household of 5 people.
According to Shubhra Mohanka, Director, Gautam Polymers, “With a potential to transform the off grid landscape in the country, we plan to pe*****te and empower rural India by providing an access to electricity through affordable lighting solutions. Gautam Polymers is very pleased to work with IFC on increasing the manufacturing efficiency of its plants producing solar lights and components. This will strengthen our backend to support the fast growing organization, which is delivering innovative solutions to rural areas.”
Advisory assistance by IFC will help Gautam Polymers review its operations and identify areas where the largest opportunities in cost savings and process improvement lie. A systematic analysis and identification of potential areas of efficiency improvements are likely to impact and improve the use of working capital, inventory management, staff planning and cost management thus, improving processes and subsequently reducing cost in the long run.
“Our off-grid lighting initiative will serve as a model to address clean energy needs for the most vulnerable in rural India, women and children, while promoting local entrepreneurship and sustainable rural development. This partnership has the potential to radically change the off-grid energy solutions market in India”, said Thomas Davenport, IFC Director for South Asia.
This project is a part of IFC’s off-grid lighting program for Asia, being rolled out in India first in partnership with the governments of the United States and Italy. The Indian government supports this initiative to provide safe, clean and affordable off-grid lighting to two million people living in rural India over the next three years and avoid an estimated 64,000 tons of carbon emissions.

A Billion People In The Dark - Kevin Bullis.

How Solar-Based Microgrids Could Bring Power to Millions | MIT Technology Review Millions of the world's poorest lack power. Microgrids could be a clean-energy solution.

REC trade through the Indian Energy Exchange and Power Exchange India Ltd (PXIL) has till date generated R431 crore for the country’s renewable energy producers.

Renewable energy trade picks up speed in India - Hindustan Times Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) trade — a mechanism to trade renewable energy including solar, wind, biomass and small hydro projects on platforms similar to stock exchanges — is slowly gaining ground in India.  Manu P Toms reports. Trade winds

Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has initiated an exercise to track the evolving renewable power regulatory framework and develop a repository of information in a consolidated manner.

http://www.mnre.gov.in/information/renewable-energy-regulatory-framework/

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy - Renewable Energy Regulatory Framework The development of grid interactive renewable power took off with the coming into force of the Electricity Act 2003 (EA 2003), which, among other things, provides for regulatory interventions for promotion of renewable energy (RE) sources through a) determination of tariff; b) specifying renewable p...

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/state-governments-warm-up-to-solar-power/article4022768.ece

Gujrat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu provide solar policy models for other states to emulate. Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha have their own programme, albeit of a small scale.

State governments warm up to solar power Companies that are in the business of putting up solar power plants have for long had a complaint: there is no “pipeline visibility”. By that these ‘developers’ meant that there were no ‘projects’ that they could bid for and win, nor were there policies conducive for them to put up their own project...

Nagpur, an industrial hub of West India, has adopted a “Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency” policy. It has targets of 20% reduction of conventional energy consumed by municipal buildings and services to below 2005 levels by 2012; 3% reduction in overall city conventional energy consumption by 2012; and 10% of primary energy consumption to be met by renewable energy sources.

Solar water heating systems in commercial/domestic activities have been promoted and it has been mandated that all new residential buildings with greater than 1500m2 floor area must install solar water heaters. A 10% property tax rebate is offered to gain compliance. Renewable energy sources have been promoted for all city applications such as its parks, campus lighting, street lights, garden lights, advertisement hoardings and traffic signals. Waste-to-energy projects have been promoted through this policy.

Under the Nagpur Solar City Programme funded by the Government of India, energy efficient green buildings are being promoted on a large scale in the city. The Unique Waste Plastic Management and Research Company Pvt. Ltd. in Nagpur manages a waste to- energy demonstration plant that converts plastic waste into diesel fuel equivalent. A special economic zone has been established by the government for industrial development where manufacturers of renewable energy equipment and components have been encouraged to establish plants.

The Renewable Energy Resource Centre established in 2006 conducts awareness generation activities. Different methods have been used for awareness campaigns such as using a mobile van, establishing more than 20 school energy clubs, and providing training for students and teachers. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation has actively hosted events to promote renewable energy in the city, and for gathering leanings from success stories.
Nagpur is the first “solar city” in India and is planning to become the future host of the world’s largest renewable energy park.

Source: IEA, 2009

Ministry of Food Processing Industries to start pilot projects running cold chains on solar energy or biomass.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/pilot-projects-to-set-up-renewable-energy-run-cold-chains-soon/article3987976.ece

’Pilot projects to set up renewable energy run cold chains soon’ The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) will soon start pilot projects on setting up cold chains run on renewable energy options like solar and biomass, a top ministry official said today.