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Mainis set up new venture to boost electric vehicle useedit
According to The Times of India, the new initiative, Sun Mobility, is a 50:50 joint venture between a new Maini company called Virya Mobility 5.0 and New Delhi-based Uday Khemka’s Sun Group, which has been an active investor in a range of areas including renewables for many years. As per their ambitious plan, which will take another two years to come to full fruition, Sun Mobility will take on the cost of the car battery, which accounts for 30-50 per cent of the cost of an electric car.
Publication: Electronicsb2b
Industry
Renewed Power Bankedit
Villagers in and around the coal mining areas in Talcher, Odisha, constantly complain of skin and eye irritation, respiratory diseases and other allergies, apart from ash deposits in rivers. Talcher, also known as the Coal City of Odisha, is home to several mining industries and often the villagers bear the brunt of environmental and health hazards. “Since people fall sick more often they fall into the debt trap because they cannot afford to treat their increasing sickness and morbidity at present,” writes Utkal University’s Rabindra Garada, in a paper published in IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science.
Publication: Business World
Rewa solar power deal to help Delhiedit
Delhi Metro Rail Corp. Ltd (DMRC) will make huge savings by purchasing power from Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Ltd which is implementing the world’s largest solar power project at a single site in Madhya Pradesh, a power ministry statement said. “There would be huge savings to the Delhi Metro because of per unit cost of power reducing from over Rs4.50 to Rs3.30,” the statement said quoting power and renewable energy minister Piyush Goyal, who presided over the signing of DMRC’s power purchase agreement in Bhopal on Monday.
Publication: Live Mint
Modi might put an end to the National Energy Policy bickeringedit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would most likely step in to resolve an inter-ministerial bickering over NITI Aayog’s proposed National Energy Policy, which intends to roll out the reforms in power sector, which have been pending for a long time now. Several ministries, including those of Power, Coal, and New and Renewable Energy, hold stakes in this policy, but have been unable to reach common grounds on some points of the proposed policies. “National Energy Policy is pending with PMO (prime minister’s office),” an official in the know told ET.
Publication: Business Insider
Suzuki, Toshiba And Denso To Manufacture Lithium-Ion Batteries For EVs In Indiaedit
The joint venture firm will be established this year and will be headed by Suzuki with 50 percent share. Toshiba and Denso will have 40 percent and 10 percent share respectively. A statement from Suzuki read. “The battery pack manufacturing joint venture by the three companies will realise stable supply of lithium-ion battery packs in India in the course of promoting sustainable cars in the country and will contribute to the Make in India initiative by the Indian government.”
Publication: Drive Spark
Nissan explores Leaf electric car for India, pilot runs later this yearedit
Nissan Motor Co. plans to work with “government bodies” and “private sector firms” to see if there is a market for its electric car Leaf in India, a top executive at the Indian unit of the Japanese auto maker said. “We will start a pilot project involving the Nissan Leaf this year, which will help us in assessing the viability of electric vehicles (EV),” Guillaume Sicard, president, Nissan India operations, added.
Publication: Live Mint
ISRO, BHEL tie-up for lithium-ion batteries to have buyback agreementsedit
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which is finalising a memorandum of understanding with BHEL to help develop low-cost lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles, also envisages a buyback commitment for such batteries. The move is expected to take care of concerns on managing the waste generated at the end of battery life. According to the MoU, BHEL will set up a production plant, while ISRO will provide support for scale-up, joint effort in cost optimisation, research and development for alternate chemistry and buyback commitment, according to sources. BHEL will develop the battery for commercial applications. This is part of India’s plan to promote low-cost electric vehicles with the use of lithium-ion batteries.
Publication: The Hindu Business Line
Transport ministry sweetens bid conditions for hiring electric carsedit
After its earlier plans to lead by example for promoting electric vehicles (EVs) turned a cropper, Nitin Gadkari-led ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has sweetened the bid conditions for hiring electric cars for use by its officials.
In a 10 April tender put up on its website, the ministry has invited online bids for hiring electric cars for the use of its officials for one year which “may be extended for a period of further one year”. Also, any extension will see a 5% increase in rates for the vehicles, which should be able to run at least 100 km at a stretch.
Publication: Live Mint
India’s role in green tech transfer talksedit
At the last meeting of the Environmental Goods Agreement in Geneva, in December 2016, participants were unable to close their differences on trade liberalisation of environmental goods (EG). The WTO defines EG as a host of products that can help to achieve environmental and climate protection goals.
The EGA builds on a list of 54 environment-related products on which the negotiating countries are advocating to create a consensus seeking to reduce tariffs. In 2001 when discussions began the list of products was much larger.
Publication: The Hindu Business Line