Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Developments(Updated,Very important
for Prelims)
xaam.in
July 9, 2016
News:TheMinistryofNewandRenewableEnergy(MNRE)isworkingto
makeBureauofIndianStandards(BIS)certificationcompulsoryforallsolar
waterheatersinstalledinbuildingsThisfollowsaBISannouncementonthe
qualitystandardsforevacuatedtubecollector-basedsolarwaterheaters,the
designofchoiceforsuchwaterheatersBackground:TheIndiangovernment
stoppedsubsidiesforsolarwaterheaters,leadingtoanincreaseinimports
fromChina,whichofferedproductsupto50%cheaperDomestic
manufacturerssaythatthepoorerqualityoftheChineseproductsresultsina
higherreplacementandrepaircostImpact:Willstoptheuseofcheaper
Chineseproductsthatarebeingusedtobypasstheintentionofrulessetby
certainstatesInordertocomplywithKarnatakascompulsoryinstallationrule
of100litresolarwaterheaterperbuilding,cheapproductsareobtained,
withoutconsideringwhetheritworksornot
TheHindu
July 8, 2016
Let's know about The Green
Corridor Project
ItisaRs40,000croretransmission
networkforrenewableenergy,
envisagedbystate-ownedPower
GridCorporationin2011PowerGrid
issettingupthefirstcorridor
connectingstatesrichinrenewable
energyWorkisalsoonforasecondcorridorconnectingsolarparksinAndhra
Pradesh,MadhyaPradesh,Karnataka,RajasthanandGujarat.Theintra-state
projectsareworthRs11,000croreGermanbankKfWandtheNationalClean
EnergyFundwillpickup40%ofthetabeachandthestates20%These
projectswillbeawardedthroughtransparentbiddingtospeedup
transmissionforupcomingsolarparksThemoveisinlinewiththe
governmentsplantoopenuppowertransmissiontoprivateinvestment
Custom
July 8, 2016
News:EightstateswillissuetendersworthRs5,000croreforprojectsina
renewableenergytransmissionnetworkunderGreenCorridorProjectThe
Grid:Canhandle30,000Mwofrenewableenergyatpresent&anadditional
systemfor10,000MwwillbeissuedbySeptemberofwhich50%hasalready
beenissuedQuick fact:Thecountrysrenewableenergycapacityis40,000
Mw,ofwhichwindpowersshareis26,000Mwandsolarpowers7,000Mw
BusinessStan
July 6, 2016
Policy talks:Theministryofroadtransportandhighwayshasinitiatedtalks
withtheministriesofpower,coal,petroleum,andagriculturetoformulatea
coal-basedureapolicyCoal-based urea:Wouldcost$60-75pertonneas
comparedto$160pertonnefornaturalgas-basedureaRationale:Coal
productionissurplusinthecountryandthatadditionalfuelcanbeusedfor
producingureaBenefit:CouldeasethegovernmentssubsidyoutgoofRs
45,000croreonurea
BusinessStan
July 1, 2016
News:TheWorldBankannouncedUS$1billiontosupportIndiasambitious
solarprogrammeWorldBankslargestfinancingofsolarforanycountryinthe
worldtodateThecommitmentUS$625millionfinancingfortheinstallationof
atleast40MWgrid-connectedsolarrooftopprojectsTherestofthe
commitmentwouldbeforinfrastructureforsolarparks,solarandhybrid
technologiesandtransmissionlinesTheWorldBankalsosignedanagreement
tobethefinancialpartnerfortheInternationalSolarAlliance,ledbyIndia
TheHindu
News:Aseparatepowertradingplatformisbeingjointlydevelopedbythe
MinistryofNewandRenewableEnergy(MNRE)andPowerTrading
CorporationofIndia(PTC)Reason:Increasingshareofrenewableenergy(RE)
inthegridandthelikelihoodofitdisturbingtheexistingpower
systemsTrade:StateswithsurplusRenewableEnergygenerationcouldsell
andthoseoneswhichwanttomeettheirRenewablePurchaseObligation
sourcesRPO:Waslaunchedin2010&makesitobligatoryfordistribution
companies,open-accessconsumersandcaptivepowerproducerstomeetpart
oftheirenergyneedsthroughgreenenergyProgress:During2015-16,barring
afewexceptions,noneofthestateshasmetitsRPO,forfifthyearina
rowPTC:Ajointventureofseveralentitieswiththegovernment
BusinessStan
News:MinistryofNewandRenewableEnergyhasaskedstatestosetupone
lakhsmallbiogasplantsthisyearObjective:Toprovidecleangaseousfuelfor
cookingandorganicbio-manureasaby-productExpected:Savingof21.9lakh
LPGcylinder
TheHindu
Context:Govtsdraftpolicyforwindandsolarhybridplants,releasedfor
publiccommentsrecentlyAim:Tofacilitatehybridisationofexistingsolaror
windsystems,besidesnewhybridprojectsComments:Itisagoodstep,but
restrictiveasitputsacaponthesizeofsuchunits&alsolacksindetails
relatingtotariffsRestrictive:Hybridcapacityaddition,forexistingplants,
mustbelimitedtothesanctionedtransmissioncapacityThiscouldposea
problemforareaswheretransmissioncapacityisnotenoughtocatertothe
energypotentialHow?Inwindfarmswithlowturbinedensity,asignificant
solarpotentialcouldbetapped(evenoftheorderof500kWto1MW),which
wouldrequireadditionaltransmissioncapacity
TheHindu
Thermal:Thetotalcapacityofthethermalsectorstoodat2,11,420.40
MWHydro:Itsuffersfrommultiplechallenges,includingnon-availabilityof
long-termfinancingAlsothecostimposedbyroyaltypower(from12%to
36%)tobeofferedfreetothestategovernment&limitedopportunitiesfor
theprivatesectorThisispotentiallychanging,asthecentralgovernmenthas
proposedtogivepolicyattentiontohydropowertooFurther,thegovernments
bilateraleffortswithBangladeshtoimplementcross-bordertransmission
meansthathydro-powerfromthenorth-easternstatescanbedeliveredtothe
loadcentrescheaperthanbefore
TheHindu
Context:TheCentralElectricityAuthoritydataFinding:Therenewableenergy
sectorhasforthefirsttimesurpassedhydropowergenerationData:Thetotal
capacityofrenewableenergysectorincreasedto42,849.38MW,surpassing
thetotalcapacityofhydropowersectorat42,783.42MW,outofthenations
totalinstalledcapacityofalittleover3lakhMWonApril30,
2016Reasons:Therenewableenergyinvestmentsinsolarandwindhave
benefitedfromastrongcentralpolicyandseveralyearsofearly-stageprivate
sectorinvestment,respectively
TheHindu
Context:InitiativeforsolarparksbytheStateWaterResourcesDepartmentof
MaharashtrastateSolarparkswillbemadeonthelandwhichisavailablefor
differentirrigationprojectsAlsoproposalofafforestationprogramontheland
availablewithdepartmentBothprojectswouldhelptocontributein
environmentprotection
TheHindu
AccordingtoNITIAayog,Indiaswindpotentialispeggedat302GWThesector
isexpectedtocontribute60GWtothetargetof175GWofrenewableenergy
by2022Indiahastotalinstalledwindpowercapacityof23,439MWasof31
March2015AccordingtoREN21-GlobalStatusReport2011,Indiancompany
SuzlonwasamongtoptenmanufacturersofWindTurbinemanufacturersin
theworldIthasaglobalmarketshareof6.7%Alsomajorworldcompaniesare
pouringintothefastevolvingWindEnergymarketinIndia
Custom
Context:TheRenewableEnergyMinistrysdraftguidelinesforthe
developmentofonshorewindpowerprojectsMinistryhassoughtcomments
fromstakeholdersuntilMay27DraftRules:Forsettinguponshorewind
projectsrangingfromlandusepermissionstometeringandreal-time
monitoringtoeventualdecommissioningPositive:Rulesarecomprehensivein
theirscopeCriticisms:Rulescouldalsobeover-prescriptiveRuleslaytheonus
ofsecuringgridconnectivityandtransportationonthedevelopersThiscould
dampeninvestorinterestinthesector
TheHindu
What?Indiasoutdatedgridinfrastructureisincompatiblewiththestorage
technologythatprivateinvestorsarelookingtoinstallDisadvantage:Itis
holdingbacktheemergenceoftheelectricitystoragesectorNeed:Pushforthe
adoptionofrenewableenergysourcessuchassolarandwindwillincreasingly
relyonpowerstoragesincesupplyfromsuchsourcesisirregularPower
storagefacilitiesarecriticalforthegovernmentsruralelectrification
programmeaswell
TheHindu
Context:Govtislookingtocreatea$1billionequityfundforsolarenergyin
thecountryAim:Tohelpnewcompaniestocomeupforsolartobecomea
movementAlso,tomakeatransitfrommegawatttogigawattGovtwantstotap
globalfinancialinstitutionsliketheWorldBankforthispurposeToday,World
Bankgives5%oftheirmoneyforrenewable
TheHindu
News:Banksandnon-bankingfinancialcompaniesdisbursedRs.29,000crore
forrenewableenergyprojectsBackground: In2015,40majorbanksand
NBFCscommittedtoprovidelargedebtfundingtorenewableenergyprojects
duringthespanofthenext5yearsSomeprivatebanksinIndiahavesigned
dealswithdevelopmentbankstoprovideloansatconcessionalratesThe
IndianRenewableEnergyDevelopmentAgencyisalsoprovidingloansatlow
ratesfollowingitsrecentagreementswithinternationalfinancialinstitutions
TheHindu
April 8, 2016
News:AccordingtoEnergyEfficiencyServicesLtd.,shiftingtoLEDbulbs
couldsaveanaveragefamilyaroundRs.4,000ayearontheirpower
billsReason:Energyefficiencygainsandlowerreplacement
costsBenefits:ThelifeexpectancyofanLEDbulbis25,000hours,compared
to8,000hoursforCFLbulbsand1,200hoursforincandescentbulbsThe
countrywouldsave100billionunitsofelectricityayearbyswitchingoverto
LEDSwitchingtoLEDsalsohelpsthegovt.meetitscarbondioxideemission
reductiontargets
TheHindu
Context:Indiaplanstobea100%electricvehiclenationby2030Thiswould
needmonetarysupportfromneithergovtnorIndiancitizensInsteadpower
ministryisworkingonaschemetogivee-vehiclesforzerodownpaymentFor
these,peoplecanpayoutoftheirsavingsonexpensivefossilfuels
BusinessStan
Context:Privatefirmslookingforguaranteedreturnsfrommicro-power
plantsareeyingprojectstogenerateelectricityfrommunicipalwasteAsmany
as24w-t-eprojectstoproduce233MWarecurrentlyindifferentstagesof
constructionAboutRs.65,000croreofpublicandprivateinvestmentswillflow
intocitywastemanagement,cleanlinessandw-t-eprojectsoverthenext3
years
LiveMint
Acronym:UnnatJyotibyAffordableLEDsforAllAgency:EnergyEfficiency
ServicesLimited(EESL),underMinistryforPower,CoalandNew&
RenewableEnergyItisthenamegiventoLEDbasedDomesticEfficient
LightingProgramme,whichiscurrentlyrunningsuccessfullyinover120cities
acrossIndiaAchievement:EESLhasdistributedover7.47croreLEDbulbs
acrossthecountry
PIB
March 8, 2016
What?APublicLimitedGovernmentCompanyEstablished:AsaNon-Banking
FinancialInstitutionin1987Under:AdministrativecontrolofMNREAim:To
promote,developandextendfinancialassistanceforrenewableenergyand
energyefficiency/conservationprojectsMotto:ENERGYFOREVERHasbeen
awardedMiniRatna(Category-I)statusin2015byMNRE
Custom
March 8, 2016
ItwasunveiledbytheMinistryofNewandRenewableEnergyon07March,
2016Issue:Mostofthewindturbinesinstalleduptotheyear2000areof
capacitybelow500kWSolution:Phaseoutwindturbineswithlessthan1MW
capacityandbuiltbeforetheyear2000andreplacethemwithnewones,
whichwillfurtherexpandcapacityPolicywillbeimplementedthroughstate
nodalagencies&allstateshavecomeonboardProducersgeneratinglessthan
1MWofwindpowerwillgetaninterestrebateof0.25%fromtheIREDAfor
revampingtheirwindturbinesTheywillalsogetaccelerateddepreciation
Custom
March 8, 2016
Context:Centreofferedinterestraterebate,flexibilityintimingoftax
paymentstosmallwindproducerswhoupgradetheirplantsMoveisinline
withgovtswindre-poweringpolicyStrategy:Steppinguppowercapacityby
revampingexistingprojectsratherthangoingfornewonesWhy?Acquiring
landandgettinggreenclearancesfornewprojectsmaybetime-consuming
LiveMint
February 8, 2016
capacityAchievementWindpowersectorcrossedthemilestoneof25,000
MWintotalcapacityTotalgrid-installedrenewablepowercapacityinthe
country 38,822 MW
February 5, 2016
energyprojectsThemovewillhelpinthescalingupofcleanenergy
generationfrom37GWatpresentto175 GW by 2022State-ownedinstitutions
suchasPowerFinanceCorp.LtdandRuralElectrificationCorp.Ltdhave
alreadycommittedatotalof$300milliontothefundThisfundwillmake
equityandmezzanine investmentsinrenewableenergyprojectsandwillbe
modelledliketheNational Infrastructure Investment Fund(NIIF)
LiveMint
December 1, 2015
Microsoftco-founderBillGatesandotherinvestorspledged$7billion
forR&D of clean energy.Itwaspartofalargerinitiativewithworld
governmentsthatpromisedtodouble spendingonrenewableenergy
technologiessuchasbiofuels,carboncapture,highwind,fission,fusion,etc.