290 Scientists from 32 countries have signed a petition asking the government of Tanzania choose an alternate route around the Serengeti National Park, rather than building one through it.
The petition is a reaction to the announced plans of the Tanzanian government to build a commercial route across the northern part of the Serengeti National Park.
International and conservation organizations, the travel industry, and the public have protested the decision. Now scientists are speaking out. The petition, and accompanying survey, follows an article in the scientific journal, Nature, in which 27 leading scientists described the destruction the road would cause.
The Petition of scientists states:
“Evidence from other parts of the world, combined with our deep understanding of the Serengeti ecosystem, makes it clear – the road will result in severe, negative, irreversible impacts, with little mitigation possible.”
The petition reiterates warnings by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in July of this year about specific negative impacts of the highway and adds,
“The proposed road cuts through a critical wilderness area that is essential to the migration. The type of road surface matters little. The migration itself could easily collapse, with a devastating effect on all wildlife, the grasslands, and the entire ecosystem.”
It concludes by asking that an alternative highway be found:
“The government of Tanzania has to work for development and welfare in all areas of the country. But there is no need to sacrifice its most precious wilderness, or its income from tourism, or its heritage of conservation. An alternative can and must be found.”
“Scientists, government officials, engineers, conservationists, economists, aid and lending institutions - all can study and work together to both protect the environment and help the people. This task is critical for both Tanzania and the world.”
Included in the petition is a survey about likely negative impacts. Results clearly show that scientists believe these to be extremely serious. Many, in fact, concluded that the collapse of the wildebeest migration was likely or even inevitable. Results of the survey on impacts are:
In your opinion, how likely are the following:
Combined % Saying Inevitable, Extremely Likely, Very Likely
Disruption and obstruction of migration routes: 85%
57% said it would be inevitable. 28% said extremely likely.
Introduction of invasive plants, animals, and disease: 91%
35% said inevitable. 67% said very likely or extremely likely.
Increased mortality due to wildlife-vehicle collisions: 98%
67% said inevitable. 21% said extremely likely.
Intensive, organized poaching, especially reintroduced rhino: 88%
32% said inevitable. 38% said extremely likely.
Loss of habitat from human settlement and agriculture: 87%
40% said inevitable. 32% said extremely likely.
Eventual collapse of migration:
54% said very or extremely likely. 17% said inevitable. 71%
Respondents also wrote about their professional experiences and opinions:
Dr. Anne Pusey, a professor at Duke University who studied lions in the Serengeti for ten years, wrote: “The Serengeti is a unique and precious ecosystem - one of the very few large scale migratory systems of large animals remaining on the planet…A road across the migratory routes will devastate the system for all the reasons listed in this [petition] letter and survey. “
Traci Birge, a researcher from Finland echoed the thoughts of many in saying, “the proposed highway route would be devastating for the ecology of the Serengeti, and would have long-term negative effects on local residents, wildlife and ecology and would be a terrible blow for global biodiversity.”
Scientists, including top experts in their field, are from more than fifty different universities, research, and conservation organizations. Scientific fields represented included: Wildlife Biology, Conservation Biology, Zoology, Population Ecology, Reproductive Biology, Wildlife Epidemiology, and Biodiversity Management.
Among the 32 countries represented are: UK, USA, Norway, Sweden, Hungary, Israel, Finland and Australia, and the African countries of South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Namibia, Kenya, and Tanzania.
The petition and survey were conducted by Save the Serengeti, a nonprofit organization.
Results of the petition and survey, including petitioners names, organizations, countries, and detailed written responses can be found at: http://www.savetheserengeti.org/?p=417
# # #
Contact:
David Blanton
info@savetheserengeti.org
Boyd Norton
info@savetheserengeti.org
Website
http://www.savetheserengeti.org/
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Reuseit.com Helps Consumers Give the Good Life This Holiday Season
Living simply and healthfully while making a significant, long-lasting impact on the environment and society – that’s the definition of the good life, says reuseit.com. This holiday, you can help people live the good life by giving gifts that help them consume less, preserve natural resources and save money, too. Reuseit.com helps solve a common problem for conscious consumers who want to give a gift but don’t know what makes sense. The company’s products are beautifully designed and solution-oriented, helping the recipient eliminate thousands of disposables from their life.
Recognized in 2009 and 2010 as one of Inc. 500's fastest-growing companies, reuseit.com is a one-stop-shop to help consumers give the good life with its innovative gift ideas. What’s more, the products come from good companies that are socially responsible, and reuseit.com donates one percent of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. The company has empowered its nearly 240,000 customers to eliminate more than 900,000,000 use-and-toss items.
“This holiday season, we anticipate another onslaught of eco-tschotskes and gimmicky green products from a huge range of retailers,” said Vincent Cobb, founder of reuseit.com. “Our gift ideas reinforce the fact that we’re not going to consume our way out of this problem. The holidays are a chance to share the good life with friends and family, and reusables are gifts that keep giving throughout the year. Giving gifts that actually help people consume less is a smart, interesting idea whose time has come."
To help consumers select the right reusable for anyone on their gift list, the company has created a comprehensive Gift Center to make the process easy, with buying guides, videos, and hand-picked gift ideas for him, for her, for kids and niches like travelers, co-workers, newbie environmentalists and more.
Below are the company’s top ten overall reusable gift picks for the holidays – innovative, well-designed products that help replace some of the most common disposables.
Reuseit.com’s 2010 Overall Top 10 Picks for Giving the Good Life:
1. Bobble Filtering Reusable Water Bottle - affordably-priced PET water bottle with a built-in filter
2. I’m Not A… Products - clever replacements for paper lunch bags, paper towels, plastic water bottles, plastic bags, facial tissue and more
3. reuseit™ Recycled PET Mesh Ultra Compact Tote - a smart, stylish, 55% recycled bag that folds into its own compact pouch
4. Vapur Collapsible Water Bottle - rolls up flat when empty, can be conveniently stored in bags, purses or pockets and filled for on-the-go hydration
5. To-Go Ware Repeat Utensil Set & Zelco Stainless Steel Portable Utensils - innovative alternatives to disposable plastic utensils
6. Insulated Mugs - ideal for the commuter or coffee lover, porcelain, stainless steel and safe plastic options
7. Glass Bottles - cut back on bottled water and paper cup waste with these gorgeous & safe glass options
8. "We Are Happy to Serve You" New York City Coffee Mug - iconic design, perfect for the office worker looking to cut back on paper and Styrofoam cups
9. Ultra-Compact Shopping Bags - smart & stylish stocking stuffers - makes great gift wrap, too
10. Essential oils - Homemade perfume, cologne, cleaning products and air fresheners make a unique gift
Some of reuseit.com’s best sellers are from its house brand, reuseit™, including everyday basics like shopping totes, ultra-compact bags, lunch bags and more. For more holiday gift picks, visit the company’s Gift Center and check out their Gift Wrap Buying Guide for tips on wrapping gifts with reusable bags.
About reuseit.com
Recognized as a leader and innovator, reuseit.com won Green America’s prestigious Green Business of the Year in 2007 and their Longtime Leadership award in 2009. A trusted source, the company is a BizRate Circle of Excellence Gold Honoree and was recognized by Inc. 500|5000 in 2009 and 2010 as one of the nation’s Fastest Growing Companies. The company has been featured hundreds of times including major media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, ABC News and Vogue. Reuseit.com is an authentic, triple-bottom-line company, supporting Fair Trade Practices and donating one percent of all sales to environmental causes through 1% For the Planet. To date, Reuseit.com has empowered its nearly 240,000 customers to eliminate more than 900,000,000 use-and-toss items.
About Verde PR & Consulting
Verde PR & Consulting is a full-service public relations, marketing, branding, and consulting agency, with an emphasis in new media and corporate social responsibility. Verde’s clients are in the adventure-based outdoor, bike and snowsports industries, as well as the health and wellness and natural grocery markets. http://www.verdepr.com and join the conversation on Twitter.
Recognized in 2009 and 2010 as one of Inc. 500's fastest-growing companies, reuseit.com is a one-stop-shop to help consumers give the good life with its innovative gift ideas. What’s more, the products come from good companies that are socially responsible, and reuseit.com donates one percent of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. The company has empowered its nearly 240,000 customers to eliminate more than 900,000,000 use-and-toss items.
“This holiday season, we anticipate another onslaught of eco-tschotskes and gimmicky green products from a huge range of retailers,” said Vincent Cobb, founder of reuseit.com. “Our gift ideas reinforce the fact that we’re not going to consume our way out of this problem. The holidays are a chance to share the good life with friends and family, and reusables are gifts that keep giving throughout the year. Giving gifts that actually help people consume less is a smart, interesting idea whose time has come."
To help consumers select the right reusable for anyone on their gift list, the company has created a comprehensive Gift Center to make the process easy, with buying guides, videos, and hand-picked gift ideas for him, for her, for kids and niches like travelers, co-workers, newbie environmentalists and more.
Below are the company’s top ten overall reusable gift picks for the holidays – innovative, well-designed products that help replace some of the most common disposables.
Reuseit.com’s 2010 Overall Top 10 Picks for Giving the Good Life:
1. Bobble Filtering Reusable Water Bottle - affordably-priced PET water bottle with a built-in filter
2. I’m Not A… Products - clever replacements for paper lunch bags, paper towels, plastic water bottles, plastic bags, facial tissue and more
3. reuseit™ Recycled PET Mesh Ultra Compact Tote - a smart, stylish, 55% recycled bag that folds into its own compact pouch
4. Vapur Collapsible Water Bottle - rolls up flat when empty, can be conveniently stored in bags, purses or pockets and filled for on-the-go hydration
5. To-Go Ware Repeat Utensil Set & Zelco Stainless Steel Portable Utensils - innovative alternatives to disposable plastic utensils
6. Insulated Mugs - ideal for the commuter or coffee lover, porcelain, stainless steel and safe plastic options
7. Glass Bottles - cut back on bottled water and paper cup waste with these gorgeous & safe glass options
8. "We Are Happy to Serve You" New York City Coffee Mug - iconic design, perfect for the office worker looking to cut back on paper and Styrofoam cups
9. Ultra-Compact Shopping Bags - smart & stylish stocking stuffers - makes great gift wrap, too
10. Essential oils - Homemade perfume, cologne, cleaning products and air fresheners make a unique gift
Some of reuseit.com’s best sellers are from its house brand, reuseit™, including everyday basics like shopping totes, ultra-compact bags, lunch bags and more. For more holiday gift picks, visit the company’s Gift Center and check out their Gift Wrap Buying Guide for tips on wrapping gifts with reusable bags.
About reuseit.com
Recognized as a leader and innovator, reuseit.com won Green America’s prestigious Green Business of the Year in 2007 and their Longtime Leadership award in 2009. A trusted source, the company is a BizRate Circle of Excellence Gold Honoree and was recognized by Inc. 500|5000 in 2009 and 2010 as one of the nation’s Fastest Growing Companies. The company has been featured hundreds of times including major media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, ABC News and Vogue. Reuseit.com is an authentic, triple-bottom-line company, supporting Fair Trade Practices and donating one percent of all sales to environmental causes through 1% For the Planet. To date, Reuseit.com has empowered its nearly 240,000 customers to eliminate more than 900,000,000 use-and-toss items.
About Verde PR & Consulting
Verde PR & Consulting is a full-service public relations, marketing, branding, and consulting agency, with an emphasis in new media and corporate social responsibility. Verde’s clients are in the adventure-based outdoor, bike and snowsports industries, as well as the health and wellness and natural grocery markets. http://www.verdepr.com and join the conversation on Twitter.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Green buildings hold key to climate change commitments
Setting minimum standards of energy efficiency for buildings will be key to meeting India's commitment on addressing climate change issues, according to Mr Jamshyd N Godrej, Chairman, CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre (CII-GBC).
Addressing the inaugural of the four-day international conference and exhibition on green buildings organised by CII-GBC, he said the building sector accounts for nearly half the green house gas emissions that are responsible for the threat of global warming.
Setting standards for establishment of energy efficient buildings will help address the issue. This will be crucial to enabling the Government meet its target of bringing down the carbon emission intensity by 20 per cent in the next 10 years, a commitment made in the Copenhagen Climate Conference.
The Centre, State Governments and local bodies should work together to implement minimum efficiency standards as spelt out in the ECBC. The green building initiative that has attracted the attention of the private sector including industry and real estate developers had helped develop quality buildings that are efficient in terms of energy, water use and minimal waste generation. But to make a real difference the Government needs to set standards that have to be met by all.
Mr Godrej welcomed the Government initiative in encouraging efficiency in energy intensive industries and measures to support renewable energy. The Perform-Achieve-Trade mechanism under the national mission for enhanced energy efficiency which envisages a market-based mechanism to enhance average energy efficiency in industry and provision of feed-in tariffs for solar energy and wind power are progressive measures that will make a positive impact on reducing green house gas emissions.
Mr Tony Arnel, Chairman, World Green Building Council, said development of energy efficient green buildings, which minimise the impact on environment and natural resources, are now a part of the global debate leading up to the Cancun Climate Change Summit to be held in December. Green buildings can do more than address environmental concerns and can have a positive social and economic benefit if the industry and the governments can work together.
Two pacts signed
The Indian Green Building Council has entered into two agreements to carry forward the green building initiative. One is with the Green Building Council of Australia for a research collaboration for carbon offsets in building sector. A second MoU was with the US Green Building Council relating to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) to upgrade the existing LEED India system.
The conference which is in its eighth edition this year has attracted over 1,500 delegates and about 200 exhibitors who are showcasing technology, products and services relating to green buildings. The CII-GBC, a division of the Confederation of Indian Industry, offers advisory services in green buildings, energy efficiency and environment conservation.
Addressing the inaugural of the four-day international conference and exhibition on green buildings organised by CII-GBC, he said the building sector accounts for nearly half the green house gas emissions that are responsible for the threat of global warming.
Setting standards for establishment of energy efficient buildings will help address the issue. This will be crucial to enabling the Government meet its target of bringing down the carbon emission intensity by 20 per cent in the next 10 years, a commitment made in the Copenhagen Climate Conference.
The Centre, State Governments and local bodies should work together to implement minimum efficiency standards as spelt out in the ECBC. The green building initiative that has attracted the attention of the private sector including industry and real estate developers had helped develop quality buildings that are efficient in terms of energy, water use and minimal waste generation. But to make a real difference the Government needs to set standards that have to be met by all.
Mr Godrej welcomed the Government initiative in encouraging efficiency in energy intensive industries and measures to support renewable energy. The Perform-Achieve-Trade mechanism under the national mission for enhanced energy efficiency which envisages a market-based mechanism to enhance average energy efficiency in industry and provision of feed-in tariffs for solar energy and wind power are progressive measures that will make a positive impact on reducing green house gas emissions.
Mr Tony Arnel, Chairman, World Green Building Council, said development of energy efficient green buildings, which minimise the impact on environment and natural resources, are now a part of the global debate leading up to the Cancun Climate Change Summit to be held in December. Green buildings can do more than address environmental concerns and can have a positive social and economic benefit if the industry and the governments can work together.
Two pacts signed
The Indian Green Building Council has entered into two agreements to carry forward the green building initiative. One is with the Green Building Council of Australia for a research collaboration for carbon offsets in building sector. A second MoU was with the US Green Building Council relating to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) to upgrade the existing LEED India system.
The conference which is in its eighth edition this year has attracted over 1,500 delegates and about 200 exhibitors who are showcasing technology, products and services relating to green buildings. The CII-GBC, a division of the Confederation of Indian Industry, offers advisory services in green buildings, energy efficiency and environment conservation.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
MoEF acts tough, many projects hit
The Ministry of Forests & Environment (MoEF) seems to have woken up to the environment issues in the country and has started taking a pro-active approach by taking tough stand on granting clearances for several projects which will have adverse impact on the environment if permitted.
The MoEF has not even spared the Power Finance Corporation (PFC), which is nodal agency for development of ultra-mega-power plants (UMPP) in the country, as the PFC is not being given clearance for coal-block allocation for its 4,000-MW Bedabahal UMPP in Orissa.
The Bedabahal UMPP is the second project after Sarguja UMPP to face delays due to clearances from the Ministry.
By Arvind Sen
Recently, the Ministry stood firm on its stand that mining companies will not be granted access in "no go" areas in the country.
However, the government decided to exempt some projects that already have received coal block allocation in the "no go" areas. The Dulanga coal block allotted to NTPC is located in this region.
Earlier, a coal block allotted to Adani Power, which was proposing to develop the 3,300-MW Tiroda power project, was cancelled. The Ministry refused allocation as the mine was close to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.
The latest in the line of casualty are several projects of Vedanta Resources and are feared to get delayed due to environmental clearance issues.
Recently, the Madras High Court directed Sterlite Industries India, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources, to stop operations at its 400,000-ton-per-year copper-smelting facility at Tuticorin, as its operations were adversely impacting workers at the site and were posing an environmental threat.
Sterlite Industries allegedly operated the smelter without implementing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and holding a public hearing.
Earlier, Sterlite Energy was forced to shut its 600-MW independent thermal power plant at Jharsuguda in Orissa after residents complained about air pollution caused by the power project.
The power plant, which was commissioned on August 21, 2010, faced technical complications leading to fly-ash emissions. The project, which has been connected to the state grid, is at the same site as SEL's 1,215-MW captive power project.
Recently, the power project has resumed operations after corrective measures were taken to eliminate fly-ash emissions.
However, dark clouds of uncertainty are still hovering over Vedanta Resources. The National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) rejected the approval granted to the US$ 1.7 billion bauxite mining project proposed by Sterlite Industries and has directed the MoEF to reassess the proposal.
According to NEAA officials, the EIA study, which is a critical document for approval from the Ministry, was not made available during the public hearing.
Further, the authority expressed concern about the nature of the EIA, which did not analyse and take into consideration the adverse implications of the mining project on human life.
According to Jairam Ramesh, the Minister of Environment and Forests, Sterlite Industries, besides endangering the life of the Dongria Kondh tribal community in the region, had further flouted several laws, including the Forest Conservation Act, the Forest Rights Act and the Environment Protection Act.
To make matters worse for Sterlite, the Ministry of Forests & Environment has also issued a notice to the company for illegal capacity augmentation of its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Orissa to six million tonnes per year, from one million tonne per year.
The MoEF has not even spared the Power Finance Corporation (PFC), which is nodal agency for development of ultra-mega-power plants (UMPP) in the country, as the PFC is not being given clearance for coal-block allocation for its 4,000-MW Bedabahal UMPP in Orissa.
The Bedabahal UMPP is the second project after Sarguja UMPP to face delays due to clearances from the Ministry.
By Arvind Sen
Recently, the Ministry stood firm on its stand that mining companies will not be granted access in "no go" areas in the country.
However, the government decided to exempt some projects that already have received coal block allocation in the "no go" areas. The Dulanga coal block allotted to NTPC is located in this region.
Earlier, a coal block allotted to Adani Power, which was proposing to develop the 3,300-MW Tiroda power project, was cancelled. The Ministry refused allocation as the mine was close to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.
The latest in the line of casualty are several projects of Vedanta Resources and are feared to get delayed due to environmental clearance issues.
Recently, the Madras High Court directed Sterlite Industries India, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources, to stop operations at its 400,000-ton-per-year copper-smelting facility at Tuticorin, as its operations were adversely impacting workers at the site and were posing an environmental threat.
Sterlite Industries allegedly operated the smelter without implementing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and holding a public hearing.
Earlier, Sterlite Energy was forced to shut its 600-MW independent thermal power plant at Jharsuguda in Orissa after residents complained about air pollution caused by the power project.
The power plant, which was commissioned on August 21, 2010, faced technical complications leading to fly-ash emissions. The project, which has been connected to the state grid, is at the same site as SEL's 1,215-MW captive power project.
Recently, the power project has resumed operations after corrective measures were taken to eliminate fly-ash emissions.
However, dark clouds of uncertainty are still hovering over Vedanta Resources. The National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) rejected the approval granted to the US$ 1.7 billion bauxite mining project proposed by Sterlite Industries and has directed the MoEF to reassess the proposal.
According to NEAA officials, the EIA study, which is a critical document for approval from the Ministry, was not made available during the public hearing.
Further, the authority expressed concern about the nature of the EIA, which did not analyse and take into consideration the adverse implications of the mining project on human life.
According to Jairam Ramesh, the Minister of Environment and Forests, Sterlite Industries, besides endangering the life of the Dongria Kondh tribal community in the region, had further flouted several laws, including the Forest Conservation Act, the Forest Rights Act and the Environment Protection Act.
To make matters worse for Sterlite, the Ministry of Forests & Environment has also issued a notice to the company for illegal capacity augmentation of its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Orissa to six million tonnes per year, from one million tonne per year.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Energy majors to enter LED manufacturing
The entry of big-ticket players in LED manufacturing, led by public sector energy majors ONGC Ltd and NTPC Ltd, promises to help the technology breach the price barrier by rapid scaling-up of production.
LED or light-emitting diode technology is widely seen as the future of lighting technology. But high pricing is a key deterrent. An LED lamp is a solid state lighting device that utilises light emitting diodes as a source of illumination instead of electrical filaments or gas.
ONGC's Energy Centre is pursuing the LED project as an energy conservation project and is in the process of finalising a joint venture partner for assembling and packaging of LED luminaries in India. NTPC Ltd, which had tied-up with the Bangalore-based Society for Integrated Circuit Technology and Applied Research for making the lamps, is also on the lookout for a suitable partner.
Other entrants who have already commenced work include Sujana Energy Ltd, a subsidiary of Hyderabad-based Sujana Group, which is partnering Japanese firm Nichia Corporation for LED lighting and display; De Core Nanosemiconductors Ltd is investing Rs 900 crore in a plant in Gujarat for LED luminaries.
“There is no doubt that the entry of large players offers the potential to scale-up, which is the only way to bring down costs. So, therefore, NTPC and ONGC's entry is important for the technology as a whole… LED lamps offer the best hope for the rural electrification efforts, especially in case of off-grid connections,” the Director-General of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Dr Ajay Mathur, told Business Line.
NTPC, which had appointed IIT-Kharagpur as its consultant to identify a foreign technical collaborator for manufacturing LED lamps, is looking at various options. “The move to get into LED manufacture is aimed at strengthening the ongoing demand-side management efforts, especially in the households segment. While the initial responses were not very good, we hope to zero in on a suitable partner,” an NTPC official said.
The ONGC Energy Centre, through a joint venture, plans to set up an assembly plant in India to manufacture LED luminaries. In the second phase, it plans to establish an LED packaging plant. As the final leg in its three-stage LED plan, the Energy Centre is hoping that the research work would lead into possible high technology products, including setting up a semiconductor chip plant that could have significant contribution to exports.
Sujana Energy Ltd, through its partnership with Japanese company Nichia Corporation, plans to jointly explore opportunities in the field of LED lighting and display. Nichia is the largest supplier of white LEDs in the world.
“The demand for LEDs is almost limitless worldwide. Although competition is extremely high in the Indian market, I believe that this collaboration between Sujana and Nichia will be a breakthrough for expanding LED lighting and display,” said Mr Makoto Takenaka, MD of Nichia Chemical Pte Ltd, said while launching the venture.
LEDs, besides being small, hardy, highly energy-efficient and long-lasting, do not have the mercury content issue associated with CFLs.
While LED lamps, till recently, were limited only to single-bulb use in applications such as instrument panels and electronics, subsequent improvements in technology have widened their application. Several cities in the country have begun replacing their incandescent traffic lights with LED arrays because electricity costs can be reduced by almost 80 per cent.
courtsey...business line india
LED or light-emitting diode technology is widely seen as the future of lighting technology. But high pricing is a key deterrent. An LED lamp is a solid state lighting device that utilises light emitting diodes as a source of illumination instead of electrical filaments or gas.
ONGC's Energy Centre is pursuing the LED project as an energy conservation project and is in the process of finalising a joint venture partner for assembling and packaging of LED luminaries in India. NTPC Ltd, which had tied-up with the Bangalore-based Society for Integrated Circuit Technology and Applied Research for making the lamps, is also on the lookout for a suitable partner.
Other entrants who have already commenced work include Sujana Energy Ltd, a subsidiary of Hyderabad-based Sujana Group, which is partnering Japanese firm Nichia Corporation for LED lighting and display; De Core Nanosemiconductors Ltd is investing Rs 900 crore in a plant in Gujarat for LED luminaries.
“There is no doubt that the entry of large players offers the potential to scale-up, which is the only way to bring down costs. So, therefore, NTPC and ONGC's entry is important for the technology as a whole… LED lamps offer the best hope for the rural electrification efforts, especially in case of off-grid connections,” the Director-General of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Dr Ajay Mathur, told Business Line.
NTPC, which had appointed IIT-Kharagpur as its consultant to identify a foreign technical collaborator for manufacturing LED lamps, is looking at various options. “The move to get into LED manufacture is aimed at strengthening the ongoing demand-side management efforts, especially in the households segment. While the initial responses were not very good, we hope to zero in on a suitable partner,” an NTPC official said.
The ONGC Energy Centre, through a joint venture, plans to set up an assembly plant in India to manufacture LED luminaries. In the second phase, it plans to establish an LED packaging plant. As the final leg in its three-stage LED plan, the Energy Centre is hoping that the research work would lead into possible high technology products, including setting up a semiconductor chip plant that could have significant contribution to exports.
Sujana Energy Ltd, through its partnership with Japanese company Nichia Corporation, plans to jointly explore opportunities in the field of LED lighting and display. Nichia is the largest supplier of white LEDs in the world.
“The demand for LEDs is almost limitless worldwide. Although competition is extremely high in the Indian market, I believe that this collaboration between Sujana and Nichia will be a breakthrough for expanding LED lighting and display,” said Mr Makoto Takenaka, MD of Nichia Chemical Pte Ltd, said while launching the venture.
LEDs, besides being small, hardy, highly energy-efficient and long-lasting, do not have the mercury content issue associated with CFLs.
While LED lamps, till recently, were limited only to single-bulb use in applications such as instrument panels and electronics, subsequent improvements in technology have widened their application. Several cities in the country have begun replacing their incandescent traffic lights with LED arrays because electricity costs can be reduced by almost 80 per cent.
courtsey...business line india
GE Tops Climate Innovation Index, Berkshire Hathaway Ranks Last
General Electric has edged out Ford and Intel to take the top spot in Maplecroft’s Climate Innovation Index U.S. 100, while Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway comes in last, reports Bloomberg.
Ranked on their efforts to manage carbon emissions and global warming as well as their profit on climate opportunities, GE topped the list of the 100 largest public companies in the U.S. for the second year in a row.
Maplecroft rated these companies on 100 categories including their reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, use of new technologies, and their strategies for climate- related opportunities and disclosure of environmental policies. The company used publicly disclosed information such as company sustainability reports, followed up by at least two e-mails, according to Bloomberg.
While GE was cited for offering products ranging from water heaters that cut energy use to fuel-efficient aircraft engines, and for setting a price on carbon emissions in some of its contracts, Berkshire was ranked last for its lack of disclosure on climate-change policies, reports Bloomberg.
GE and Ford also led a larger ranking of more than 330 companies with market capitalizations of more than $1 billion, according to the article. Alcoa was ranked third on that list.
Ranked on their efforts to manage carbon emissions and global warming as well as their profit on climate opportunities, GE topped the list of the 100 largest public companies in the U.S. for the second year in a row.
Maplecroft rated these companies on 100 categories including their reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, use of new technologies, and their strategies for climate- related opportunities and disclosure of environmental policies. The company used publicly disclosed information such as company sustainability reports, followed up by at least two e-mails, according to Bloomberg.
While GE was cited for offering products ranging from water heaters that cut energy use to fuel-efficient aircraft engines, and for setting a price on carbon emissions in some of its contracts, Berkshire was ranked last for its lack of disclosure on climate-change policies, reports Bloomberg.
GE and Ford also led a larger ranking of more than 330 companies with market capitalizations of more than $1 billion, according to the article. Alcoa was ranked third on that list.
Intel Sees ‘Green’ in Home Energy Market
As part of its efforts to take a big bite out of the smart grid pie, Intel has unveiled a reference design for a home energy management device at the West Coast Green Conference.
Intel’s Atom processor-based home energy management proof-of-concept reference design would act as a hub for controlling networked appliances and thermostats and to gather information from smart meters, reports CNET.
Intel is one of many companies developing products aimed at helping consumers understand their energy use and reducing their energy use. Others include Microsoft, Google and Apple, all of which have made moves into the smart-home energy management sector.
The energy management system can do a number of tasks ranging from tallying the amount of electricity that the networked appliances use, enabling consumers to program their thermostats via a touch screen to working with utilities’ demand-response programs to lower electricity use of appliances during peak times, reports CNET.
The reference design can also access the Internet and display video from security cameras.
The Intel Home Dashboard also allows users to compare their personal home energy use against their neighbors’ energy use, and measure energy levels generated by solar panels attached to the home, reports CRN.
It also features an automated “goodbye” function that switches the entire house to user-configured off mode when no one is home to eliminate “vampire” energy consumption from devices in standby mode, said CRN.
CRN says the overall concept of providing a hub for consumers to have control over the distribution of energy-based resources is gaining ground in the semiconductor industry. About 49 chip companies, including Intel, have urged President Obama, in a letter, to make energy consumption information available to every U.S. consumer.
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Intel’s Atom processor-based home energy management proof-of-concept reference design would act as a hub for controlling networked appliances and thermostats and to gather information from smart meters, reports CNET.
Intel is one of many companies developing products aimed at helping consumers understand their energy use and reducing their energy use. Others include Microsoft, Google and Apple, all of which have made moves into the smart-home energy management sector.
The energy management system can do a number of tasks ranging from tallying the amount of electricity that the networked appliances use, enabling consumers to program their thermostats via a touch screen to working with utilities’ demand-response programs to lower electricity use of appliances during peak times, reports CNET.
The reference design can also access the Internet and display video from security cameras.
The Intel Home Dashboard also allows users to compare their personal home energy use against their neighbors’ energy use, and measure energy levels generated by solar panels attached to the home, reports CRN.
It also features an automated “goodbye” function that switches the entire house to user-configured off mode when no one is home to eliminate “vampire” energy consumption from devices in standby mode, said CRN.
CRN says the overall concept of providing a hub for consumers to have control over the distribution of energy-based resources is gaining ground in the semiconductor industry. About 49 chip companies, including Intel, have urged President Obama, in a letter, to make energy consumption information available to every U.S. consumer.
courtsey environmental leader
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