Feature Article

The Earth Summit was a historical opportunity to set the world on the correct development trajectory. Negotiators from 191 countries came together to chart a road map for sustainable development and poverty eradication. The theme was green economy. But developed and developing countries refused to bury their differences. Developed countries were not ready to let go of their extravagant lifestyle, while developing countries were expected to take on green commitments. The countries could not even reach a consensus on the definition of green economy.

Industries that over-achieve targets will be awarded energy saving certificates that can be traded like carbon. With the aim to make the industrial sector energy efficient, India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) launched its 'Perform, Achieve and Trade' (PAT) scheme on July 4. The scheme has set energy efficiency targets for industries. Those that fail to achieve targets will have to pay penalty. PAT has been launched under the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, one of the eight missions under the umbrella National Action Plan on Climate Change, launched in June 2008.

A considerable amount of time and monetary resources have been spent by corporations, governments, researchers, scientists and engineers to promote the use of solar power based generation systems. Though innovative government policies are mainly credited for reducing solar power costs from Rs 17 per kWh in 2006007 to Rs 8-Rs 9 per kWh currently and increasing the grid connected capacity to around 1,000 MW, advancements in research and development (R&D) have also played an important role.

By mid-June 2012, India's total grid-connected solar capacity reached 1,025 MW. Though states such as Gujarat have led the race in harnessing the country's solar potential by formulating policies that benefit developers, it is the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) that has attracted established global and domestic developers to the Indian solar power sector.

At a recent conference organised by Renewable Watch, project developers discussed their experience in setting up solar power projects in India, the challenges associated with it and the strategies going forward.

Small-hydro power (SHP) is one of the growing segments in the renewable energy space. Unlike the state driven growth witnessed in the solar and wind segments, there has been a steady increase in SHP capacity over the past few years. The segment witnessed a capacity addition of 1,419 MW during the Eleventh Plan period, slightly higher than the target of 1.400 MW. As per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), its total installed capacity stands at 3,395 MW.

The recent Rio+20 summit raised many issues of global environmental concern. Here we look at commitments and challenges faced by the world in the throes of rapid urbanization

At international climate conferences, diplomats agree that the private sector must come up with a large share of the funding needed for climate protection. Indeed, the growth of renewable energy technologies offers institutional investors quite interesting opportunities. Nonetheless, the business environment must improve.

Turbines can increase local temperatures. OVER the years, wind turbines have been favoured as one of the most promising renewable sources of energy. But it may come at a cost. This pollution-free and environment-friendly source of energy can cause an increase in local temperatures. Researchers from University at Albany in the US, led by Liming Zhou analysed land surface temperature data of west-central Texas between 2003 and 2011 using instruments on board NASA’s Aqua and Terra satellites. The Texas region in the US has four of the world’s largest wind farms.

The choice before energy policymakers is stark - we can either choose a carefully thought-out strategy of responsible demand-side management and sustainable energy supply options, or allow things to drift by projecting an unlimited energy demand, and face all the associated serious consequences through the continued use of fossil fuels and nuclear power.