180 crore for plant renovation
The Power Financial Corporation has sanctioned Rs 180 crore for augmentation one underperforming unit of the Bathinda thermal plant besides agreeing to up the loan amount for the proposed Lehra
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INDIA
• State-of-the-art technology worth Rs 15 billion will be employed by the Mathura oil refinery to reduce emission of sulphur dioxide and lower the pollution level in the sensitive Taj Mahal
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Generators electrocuted
End of giant electricity generators is foreseen by the discovery of new polymer fuel cells
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NHPC to explore geo-thermal energy sources, set up plant
The government has appointed the National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) as the nodal agency to exploit geo-thermal energy sources in the country and has assigned it the task of putting up a
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Tatas to join Damodar Valley for Maithon plant
It's official now. The Tatas will partner Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in Maithon Power Ltd to implement the 1000mw Maithon (Right Bank) thermal
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Greater attraction
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, California, have announced the fabrication of the worlds' strongest magnet. The new magnet creates a field of 13.5 tesla which beats the previous
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MONEYMAKERS
algae wonder: Hyderabad-based New Ambadi Estates Pvt Ltd is planning to launch in July-August a cosmetic using the algae spirulina. The product can be used to treat allergies, remove pimples and
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A solution for power woes of Punjab
Punjab is facing its worst power crisis. Power cuts are being imposed because of the rising gap between demand and supply. Though the state has initiated the process to set up huge coal-based thermal plants, it will take another four to five years to fructify.
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Coal crisis in thermal plants
A hand-to-mouth situation has arisen at the Ropar and Bathinda thermal plants as coal in their stocks is reportedly just enough to generate power with all units for only four to five days. Sources in
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Government may ask NTPC to get Dabhol going
Under pressure from the Prime Minister's Office to resume generation at the 2,184 mw Dabhol Power Company plant, the power ministry and financial institutions are likely to ask the National thermal
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Coal shortage: NTPC units in critical stage
The ongoing coal shortage in the country has wreaked havoc with the power generation schedule in several of the country's larger thermal plants, with NTPC's Talcher, Farakka and Kahalgaon super
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Tata Power to invest 5kcr in wind energy
TATA Power that aims to produce at least 25% of its total power generation from clean sources by 2017, will invest around . 5,000 crore in wind energy alone, said a top company official. "We have set ourselves a target to achieve 25% of our total generation from clean sources by 2017. These will comprise wind, solar, hydro, geo-thermal and gas.
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Bathinda, Ropar plants on critical list
The coal crisis has worsened in Punjab with two of the Punjab State Electricity Board's thermal plants at Bathinda and Ropar coming on the critical list of the Union Power Ministry. Their coal stocks
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AES agrees to add 500MW more at Orissa thermal plant
The AES Orissa, which has management control over the Orissa Power Generation Corporation or OPGC, has agreed for expansion of the IB thermal plant in the undivided Sambalpur district. The agreement
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Solar energy players launch industry body
To help in policy development, awareness creation, as well as training and capacity building for solar energy is the main focus of Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI).
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The eye in the sky
India is one of the few developing countries to have its own space satellite systems. And, now Indian planners are depending increasingly on remote sensing for resource mapping and the monitoring of natural disasters.
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Thermal plant units shut down
Unit I of the Ropar Thermal Plant was shut down due to a boiler leakage, leading to a decrease in power generation by 50 lakh units per day. Sources said how many days the unit would take for repairs
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GE, Bechtel need parent nod to support Dabhol
Both GE and Bechtel, equity partners in the Dabhol power project, have told the government they will require the approval of their head offices for extending technical support to the National Thermal
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IPCC and renewable energy
In May 2011, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) presented its report on potential of renewable energy (RE) which emphasizes significant future role of RE in cutting greenhouse gas (GHG)
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Harvesting solar power in residences
With ample sunlight almost around the year, one possibility is to use of solar energy to generate electricity in apartments and township projects in Chennai, writes Durganand Balsavar Steady strides: Solar Examples of how Solar Power is harnessed and used . House in Canada has solar panels on the roof. Impacted by the global context, Chennai is experiencing dramatic change with ever-increasing pressure from growing populations. Rapid urbanisation has resulted in considerable increase in the use of energy and fuel, consequently polluting atmosphere through the release of toxic emissions. This situation calls for a rapid and fundamental reorientation in our thinking, particularly on the part of planners and institutions involved in the process of urban development. The form of our future built environment must be based on a responsible approach to an ecological balance and the use of the inexhaustible energy potential of the sun. Buildings, in urban areas, are major consumers of energy. It has been estimated that in the US, residential and commercial buildings together use two-thirds of all electricity consumed in the country. While the situation is not as acute in India, increasing demands on urbanisation may push in that direction. The percentage of urban population in India increased from 18.0 in 1961 to 27.8 in 2001. The energy consumption raised threefold, from 4.16 to 12.8 quadrillion Btu between 1980 and 2001, putting India next only to the US, Germany, Japan and China in total energy consumption. There is greater recognition that it is time to take meaningful initiatives in this direction, through creating awareness of what are called 'green' buildings. Solar energy paradigm Solar lamp. With ample sunlight almost around the year, one possibility is through use of solar energy and other renewable energy sources to generate electricity to meet the needs of residential buildings in Chennai. At an urban scale similar initiatives could be undertaken to provide solar powered streetlights and other public facilities. Delhi government has decided to pass an order for compulsory use of solar power for advertising hoardings and water heating in government and some categories of buildings. The order also says that lights of advertisement hoardings shall be powered by solar photovoltaic systems at the cost of the franchisee and conventional streetlights shall be replaced by solar photovoltaic powered ones. Tsunami experiences In Tamil Nadu, renewable energy is now making a gradual impact especially in rural areas. Simultaneously though, its utilisation in urban and semi-urban areas has not yet been growing at the desired pace. Wind energy and solar energy seem to be the most preferred at this stage. Pertinent to mention here is that the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has initiated a programme at the national level assisted by academic & research organisations, solar equipment manufacturers, and funding institutions like the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). At the State level Non-Governmental Organisations have also, in the absence of infrastructure in rural regions, have invariably relied on solar energy sources. For instance, over the last three years, in coastal Tamil Nadu, affected by the tsunami, several rehabilitation and rebuilding programs were dependant on solar energy for their sustainability. Several temporary shelter enclaves were equipped with cost-effective solar lights and solar fans, in the absence of links to the TNEB network in remote inaccessible areas. The solar street lights are manufactured by companies such as Tata BP Solar. Though the initial cost of investment is relatively higher than the conventional systems, in the long term, in remote rural areas, solar energy has gradually come to be accepted as a more reliable alternative. Solar energy in Chennai Solar street light. If experiments to introduce solar energy are workable in housing settlements in Nagapatinam and Ladakh, a more systematic and concerted effort to explore the possibilities and constraints of introducing such systems in Chennai and other fast growing urban areas is required through the cooperative efforts of the various stakeholders. At a purely theoretical level, the unutilised surface area of the terraces of buildings in the city itself should provide enough incentive to gradually shift to renewable sources like solar energy. In addition balconies also become potential areas to harvest solar power. Even slopped roofs with tiles can accommodate solar panels. The present technology allows for less conspicuous solar array on the roof and they can harvest more energy with less space. In residential developments, the immense potential for use of solar energy equipment exists, through solar lights in common areas and open spaces, gateways, solar fans, solar water heaters and even the possibility of solar cookers in the kitchen. While it could dramatically reduce the consumption of electricity, savings in electricity bills could offset the initial investments. The fact remains that in harnessing it effectively, several initiatives are required.. A nominal solar power backup system UPS that can run 2 lights a fan and a TV can cost about Rs. 28,000/-. These systems have a 20-year durability and a battery life of 3 years. Apprehensions that a cloudy day could mean that there is no solar power need to be allayed.Several solar systems do have back-up energy systems to tide through a few days of cloudy weather. More user-friendly equipment could also facilitate its use on a larger scale. Concerns voiced by environmentalists on the excessive production of photovoltaic solar cells containing silica also need careful examination before deploying the technology. An integrated awareness of the benefits and constraints of solar energy and its sustainability over the long term in conserving and protecting our environment is essential. In order to attain these goals, it will be necessary to modify existing courses of instruction and training, as well as energy supply systems, funding and distribution models, standards, statutory regulations and laws in accordance with the new objectives. The author is an architect practising in Chennai and a visiting faculty at School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University.