The government will levy a 5 per cent tax on all equipment required for generating solar power compared with nil duty now, a government official clarified, putting an end to confusion about the new taxation policy for the industry after its landmark tax reform.

Publication: Energy Sector.in

Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) which is betting big time on electric vehicles (EVs) will be investing around Rs 600-800 crore in next few years to increase the capacity of its battery assembly plant. The company has already spent around Rs 600 crore in the sector since the time it first acquired Bengaluru-based Reva Electric car company in 2010.

Publication: DNA

Tiago was the first car that Tata Motors launched with the new Impact design language. And now, the hatchback is set to become another first for the brand — the first electric vehicle. The Tiago hatchback will be the first electric car model to go on sale from Tata’s upcoming electric model range, reports Autocar. The car-maker has been working on battery electric vehicles with UK-based Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC) leading the charge in development work.

Publication: International Business Times 

Public transport will be available soon on the 42-km long Outer Ring Road (ORR) as the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will be launching its intra-city operations on ORR stretches to facilitate the travel of people in numerous residential hubs that have come up along the six-lane carriageway.

Publication: The Hindu

India might be playing a leadership role in bringing the world together for the International Solar Alliance, but it is struggling with the adoption of solar rooftops in its metro cities, a recent study has shown. Despite friendly policies and net metering guidelines in several states and a subsidy of 30 per cent offered by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the installation of solar rooftop systems has been dismal in leading metros in the country, especially in Chennai and Mumbai, according to the study.

Publication: Financial Express

Mahindra Electric has recently unveiled a roadmap illustrating its future plans for evolving electric vehicles in India. The company has iterated its focus on the technology behind electric vehicles, identifying key improvement areas as improving battery range, building high speed EVs and introducing more units in the country, along with establishing an electric charging station roadmap across the nation.

Publication: Digit

Engie, the French power giant with a global installed capacity of 115.3 gigawatts across all forms of energy, expects to invest a minimum of $1 billion (about 6,500 crore) in the solar segment in India over the next five years.

Publication: The Economic Times

All 12 major domestic ports will soon switch to renewable energy to meet their entire power requirements, making India the first country to have all government-owned ports running on solar and wind energy. The government plans to install almost 200 megawatt solar and wind power generation capacity at the ports by 2019, officials said.

Publication: The Economic Times

One of the more interesting global racing series in the world right now is the ‘Formula E’ championship, where the cars, instead of being powered by a traditional internal combustion engine, are driven by a huge battery pack built into the chassis. As the cars do not pollute and neither do they have the noise of traditional racing vehicles, the racing series takes place in the centre of cities across the world.

Publication: The Pioneer

India’s Power Minister Piyush Goyal has revealed the government’s push for widespread adoption of electric vehicles in the country and its ambitious target for 2030. “The idea is that by 2030, not a single petrol or diesel car should be sold in the country,” he was quoted telling PTI.

Publication: Autocar India

Electric vehicles at 12 percent, luxury vehicles and hybrids at 43 percent and passenger cars at 28 percent with three categories of cess – that’s the rate structure for automakers under the Goods and Services Tax regime now little more a month away. In BloombergQuint’s special series, GST Countdown, we spoke with RC Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki on the company’s GST preparedness.

Publication: Bloomberg Quint

Solar power developer ACME Group today said the company has launched India’s first battery swapping and charging station for electric vehicles. The company said it has provided battery swapping and charging stations ‘EcoCharge’ to taxi aggregator Ola for their pilot project at Nagpur in which 200 vehicles including bus, auto and car— all running on electricity was launched in the first stage on May 26, 2017.

Publication: ET Energyworld

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched Limitless Electric Bikes for the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) on his third leg of visit to the city as a part of Mahanadu event here on Monday.Thus, the GVMC has earned a distinction of becoming India’s first Municipal Corporation to deploy mass electric two-wheeler mobility system which is more economical and emission-free and as the first of its kind initiative.

Publication: The Hans India

The goods and services tax (GST) is being introduced to simplify the current taxation system. However, with the GST council declaring its plans for the automotive industry, things have certainly become more complicated for hybrid cars. The council’s recommendations have left many dumbfounded, considering the administration’s otherwise supportive stand on eco-friendly cars.

Pubication: The Hans India

Imagine a scene in a high-tech action movie, where four friends are travelling in an ultra-modern glitzy car and, unexpectedly, a speeding truck approaches from the other side and collides with the car. The sensors fitted in this car instantly alert the nearest emergency services of the mishap and help approaches in the “nick of time”, saving everyone. Well, this is just a movie scene and there is always scope of alteration. In real life, there is no second chance and if we don’t take necessary precaution, accidents can be fatal and end up in loss of human life.

Publication: Live Mint

With its recent slew of Vision Next 100 concepts, the Concept Ninety and the R5 Homage, BMW has become something of a king of concepts. At the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, it added one more to the list: the Concept Link electric scooter.

Publication: Autocar India

Cab-hailing app Ola is expanding Ola Play, a content platform, as well as its nascent electric vehicle business to differentiate its services from Uber, three people familiar with the matter said.

Publication: Live Mint

Should your next car be an electric one? Perhaps, if the government has its way in trying to get India to go all electric by the year 2030. At present, there are only two electric cars available in the Indian market – both made by Mahindra – the E20 Plus and E-Verito.

Publication: The Quint

Interview: Recently SIAM had announced that the automotive industry would invest Rs 1 lakh crore in new technologies for meeting BS-VI, fuel efficiency and safety regulations. How much of that amount will come from the auto component sector?

Publication: The Economic Times 

Betting big on the Government of India’s focus on promoting the electric vehicle industry, shared mobility service provider Ola has partnered with OEMs to introduce electric vehicles – e-buses, e-cabs, e-rickshaws and e-autos together on its platform. The programme will see electric automobile manufacturers provide 200 vehicles – 100 Mahindra’s new e2o Plus, and the remaining from Tata Motors, Kinetic, BYD, TVS among others. The pilot project in Nagpur also includes 4 electric charging stations spread across the city.

Publication: Autocar Professional 

India will levy a 5 percent tax on all equipment required for generating solar power compared with nil duty now, a government official clarified, putting an end to confusion about the new taxation policy for the industry after its landmark tax reform.

Publication: Money Control

This Friday, Ola—in partnership with Mahindra—announced having launched a programme to build an electric mass mobility ecosystem in Nagpur. However, media reports now suggest that Ola is headed the electric car way, or at least that its lead investor—SoftBank—is bullish about the electric car market in India.

Publication: Yourstory 

The biodiesel industry feels the recently announced goods and services tax will make it costlier than diesel and uncompetitive as a clean energy fuel. In the GST rates announced recently, biodiesel, ethanol and other mixing products will be taxed at 18 per cent. Biodiesel has attracted zero excise duty for the past 10 years and producing states like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan charge zero value-added tax (VAT) on it.

Publication: Business Standard

Hero Future Energies Pvt. Ltd, a company promoted by the Munjal family, plans to enter the battery storage business and set up charging stations to tap India’s emerging electric vehicles (EV) market, chief executive officer Sunil Jain said.

Publication: Live Mint

Charging stations are critical to the mass adoption of electric vehicles, and given the government’s commitment to encouraging electric and hybrid vehicles, various companies are stepping forward. One of them is Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd, which is planning to invest Rs100 crore to set up 1,000 charging stations across Delhi. In an interview, the company’s chief executive officer and managing director Praveer Sinha speaks of the challenges and requirements of setting up charging stations.

Publication: Live Mint

The goods and services tax (GST) Council is likely to clarify on the tax rate applicable to solar modules at its next meeting in early June, which might reverse a decision to set an 18% rate on the key component of solar energy infrastructure, company executives say.

Publication: Live Mint

The Maharashtra government has plans to frame a policy for setting up electric vehicle charging stations across the state considering the future needs in the transport sector. This was disclosed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here yesterday after inaugurating the country’s first multi- modal electric vehicle project and Ola electric charging station, in the presence of Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

Publication: The Asian Age

The government may soon drive in a separate electric taxi policy for cab aggregators, under which fleet owners as well as driver partners will be incentivised for running cabs on electric mobility. Incentives may be in the form of tax waivers, zero toll on highways and no permits under the policy, which will also be applicable for electric bus shuttle and auto-rickshaw services.

Publication: ET Auto

Nagpur today earned the distinction of becoming the country’s first city with electric fleet of 200 electric vehicles, including taxis, buses, e-rickshaw and autos. “Promoting electric vehicles is our priority. We want electric buses, autorickshaws and other vehicles to ply in the country. We are engaged in initial talks with SoftBank for loans at low interest rate for a green project.

Publication: The Asian Age

Even though Ola’s electric vehicles were launched at the hands of union transport minister Nitin Gadkari and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis with great fanfare on Friday, not a single vehicle was plying on city roads on Saturday. Nagpur is the first city in the country to have electric vehicles as public transport.

Publication: The Times of India

When Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated India’s ‘first multi-modal electric vehicle project’ in Nagpur last week, it was the city’s latest contribution to the country’s green public transport mission.

Publication: Live Mint

In a first of its kind move, India has brought forward its top energy research agencies which are working together to develop the next generation of fuel resources for cutting edge commercial applications. The three state-owned research bodies include the Indian Railways’ alternate fuel arm Indian Railways Organisation for Alternate Fuels (IROAF), Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) Dehradun and National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) which are working to develop solar-assisted Biomass Pyrolysis technology for production of methanol as an alternate fuel. In addition, IROAF is separately experimenting with Hydrogen-powered fuel cells for power generation.

Publication: The Economic Times

India has the opportunity to become a world leader in new technologies like electric vehicles (EV) as well as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. But so far we have not moved ahead as per our potential. One of the major reasons relate to the supply chain problems, said Girish Shankar, secretary of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

Publication: ET Auto

Stepping up its investment in electric vehicles, Mahindra & Mahindra on Wednesday announced the setting up of a new facility to make battery packs to power e-vehicles. Once completed, the plant at Chakan in Pune will help boost the company’s production of battery packs ten times from now. The maker of e2o and e-verito electric cars is simultaneously working on new technologies that will enable it to produce high-powered vehicles with a maximum speed limit of 200 km an hour and.

Publication: The Economic Times

In a bid to boost the Renewable Energy, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave nod to raising of bonds of Rs 2360 crore, said an official release by the GoI. The Bonds will be raised by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) through the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) during the 2017-18. These funds will be used by MNRE in the approved programmes/schemes for the solar park, green energy corridor, generation-based incentives for wind projects, CPSU and defence solar projects, viability gap funding for solar projects, roof-top solar, off-grid/grid-distributed and decentralised renewable power, investment in corporations and autonomous bodies etc.

Publicaton: India Infoline

The government is contemplating incentivising manufacturers to set up facilities for making lithium-ion batteries in India to lower the cost of electric vehicles, a move likely to discourage Chinese car makers seeking to enter the market.Elaborating on the plans to develop low-cost lithium-ion batteries in India, Union Heavy Industry Minister Anant Geete said efforts are being made to remodel the battery made by Indian Space Research Organisation so that it can be used in electric vehicles.

Publication: The New India Express

India has taken the lead in the renewable energy sector in the world with solar power at the centre of its renewable policy framework. The country is aiming to expand its renewable energy capacities to a record level making it the world’s largest green energy producer nation. Union Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power and Renewable Energy, Piyush Goyal underlined India’s ambitious goals in the renewable energy sector.

Publication: The Hindu Business Line

Employment opportunities in India’s renewable energy sector are going to almost double by 2022, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). “The Council on Energy Environment and Water and the National Research Development Corporation project that utility and park scale PV (photovoltaic) projects through 2022 could create 58,000 direct jobs (in India),” IRENA said in its Annual Review 2017 for Renewable Energy and Jobs.

Publication: The Hindu Business Line

Global population and urbanization are increasing at a rapid pace. According to UN reports, 54% of world’s population was urban in 2014 and this figure is expected to be 66% by 2050. Global energy demand is expected to follow a similar trend and increase rapidly over the next few decades. Moderate UN scenarios suggest that if current population and consumption trends continue, by the 2030s, we will need the equivalent of two Earths to support us.

Publication: Firstpost

Solar energy prices are crashing through the floor in India. In the last three months, solar tariffs have dropped by over 25%, with much of the recent action focused around Rajasthan’s Bhadla solar park, a 10,000-hectare facility on the edge of the Thar desert. At an auction for 500 megawatts of capacity at the park on May 12, the state-run Solar Energy Corporation of India managed to discover a record-low tariff of Rs 2.4 per kilowatt-hour.

Publication: Scroll.in

India’s ambitious plan to push electric vehicles at the expense of other technologies could benefit Chinese car makers seeking to enter the market, but is worrying established automakers in the country who have so far focused on making hybrid models. India’s most influential government think-tank unveiled a policy blueprint this month aimed at electrifying all vehicles in the country by 2032, in a move that is catching the attention of car makers that are already investing in electric technology in China such as BYD and SAIC.

Publication: News18

Renewable energy employed 9.8 million people last year, up 1.1% from 2015, led by solar photovoltaic at 3.09 million jobs, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency’s annual report on the industry. Growth has slowed in the past two years while solar photovoltaic and wind categories more than doubled their number of jobs since 2012, the first year assessed, Irena said in the report.

Publication: Live Mint

India’s ambitious plan to push electric vehicles at the expense of other technologies could benefit Chinese car makers seeking to enter the market, but is worrying established automakers in the country who have so far focused on making hybrid models.

Publication: Live Mint

In the last two months, the auto sector has seen a few headline-grabbing developments almost all of which related to India’s push in electric vehicle space. From Mahindra planning to invest in high-end electric technology to Bajaj Auto’s proposed entry into the EV space by 2020, the positive optics on green and renewable power highlighted the route taken by Indian companies and, more importantly, that of the government towards addressing its mobility requirements.

Publication: Money Control

India’s ambitious plan to push electric vehicles at the expense of other technologies could benefit Chinese car makers seeking to enter the market, but is worrying established automakers in the country who have so far focused on making hybrid models. India’s most influential government think-tank unveiled a policy blueprint this month aimed at electrifying all vehicles in the country by 2032, in a move that is catching the attention of car makers that are already investing in electric technology in China such as BYD and SAIC .

Publication: ET Energy World

Two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Smart Cities Mission, its implementation is likely to kick off in the city. Key smart city projects are likely to be cleared for administrative sanction by the Board of Directors of Chennai Smart City Ltd. on Wednesday, said sources in the Chennai Corporation. Wednesday’s meeting will be the fourth board meeting of Chennai Smart City Ltd.

Publication: The Hindu

The goods and services tax may increase solar energy project costs by 12%-18% and generation costs by 40-50 paise per unit, some industry leaders said, although the government said the new taxation regime won’t have much of an impact on them. However, officials said even if costs increase, it won’t affect project economics because the additional charges can be passed on to customers. “Following GST, solar projects will be about 18% costlier on an average, while cost of generation would go up by around 20%. We have estimated the incidence of GST to be around 23%-25% on various inputs for the segment,” said Ratul Puri, chairman, Hindustan Power Projects.

Publication: The Economic Times

Accelerated adoption of electric and shared vehicles could save USD 60 billion in diesel and petrol costs while cutting down as much as 1 gigatonne (GT) of carbon emissions for India by 2030, says a joint report released today by Niti Aayog. It said however that the country faces challenges that signal the “gravitational pull of privately owned vehicles”.

Publication: The Times of India

Stanford economist and RetinkX founder Tony Seba predicts that the global oil business will end by 2030, forecasting that the electrification of transportation would turn fossil-fueled obsolete. The study entitled “Rethinking Transportation 2020-2030”, published by Stanford University, says that fossil-fueled cars will vanish within eight years and the people who want to buy cars will have no choice but to invest in electric vehicles. It presents an economic analysis of existing technologies by extrapolating data to come to the conclusion that days of petrol and diesel cars are counted.

Publication: The Indian Express

Sending a clear signal that India is firmly moving towards electric vehicles, the goods and services tax (GST) Council has set a 12% tax rate for electric vehicles, compared with 28% plus cess for petrol and diesel cars and hybrid vehicles. The move has, however, got mixed response from those campaigning for sustainable mobility solutions and the automobile industry.

Publication: Live Mint

Solar power tariff dropped further to hit a new low of Rs 2.44 per unit in the auction conducted for Bhadla solar park. “In another auction for Bhadla Solar Park 3, solar power tariff touched record low of Rs 2.44/unit,” a senior official said.The official added that ACME Solar Holdings emerged as the lowest bidder by quoting Rs 2.44 per unit tariff for 200 MW followed by SBG Cleantech One at Rs 2.45 per unit for 500 MW capacity.

Publication: The Times of India

India today conducted the ground-breaking ceremony for its first green energy corridor project with an ultra high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) link over 1,800km with the aim to bring power to 80 million people. The project by state-run Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) is being executed by ABB Group in partnership with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).

Publication: ET Energy World

The government has charted out a multi-billion dollar investment plan for electric vehicles and aims for bulk tendering of EVs on the lines of the LED bulbs scheme, reports CNBC-TV18. It looks like the Indian government has re-visited their green initiative with some added vigour. CNBC-TV18 reports that to reduce our fossil fuel dependency, the government has charted out a multi-billion dollar investment plan for an electric vehicle. A closer look reveals that it might be aiming for a bulk tendering of EVs’ on the lines of the recently started LED bulb campaign.

Publication: Financial Express

The government is unlikely to meet its much-publicised target of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022 due to the poor progress of the rooftop solar programme, according to officials in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The Ministry is also considering increasing the contribution of other sources like biogas and small hydro to make up the difference, they added.

Publication: The Hindu

The mood was buoyant at the recently held Windergy India 2017 conference in New Delhi. Industry leaders, regulators and government officials were unanimous in predicting a bright outlook for the wind power sector that has been growing at a breakneck speed in recent times.

Publication: Huffington Post

Since the first Volvo rolled off the production line in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1927, the company has been creating world-changing innovations, including three-point safety seatbelt and child safety seats. Today, it’s a global brand with manufacturing in Sweden, Belgium and China. This year, Volvo Cars—Volvo Cars and bus-and-truck maker Volvo Group are separate entities since 1999—will start vehicle assembly in India by making use of the latter’s production facility near Bengaluru.

Publication: Financial Express

Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd on Monday said it plans to invest directly or through its subsidiaries “in high-end electric powertrain technology as part of its plan for the future of mobility; and electrification of some of its existing and future products”. The investments will also be utilised towards increasing the capacity for electric powertrains and electric vehicles, it said in a notification to the National Stock Exchange on Monday. The high-end electric powertrains will be used for the group’s future line-up of electric vehicles (EV).

Publication: Live Mint

Cab aggregator Ola will launch a first-of-its-kind all-electric powered multi-modal transport hub in Nagpur next week in which a pool of 200 e-vehicles, including cabs, buses and rickshaws will ply on the roads. Ola is investing Rs50 crore in the project and it will own all 200 vehicles as well as the four charging stations at different corners of the city that is being set up.

Publication: ET Auto

Watch the interview of Vinay Rustagi, Managing Director, Bridge to India, Ivan Saha, CTO and President, Vikram Solar, Sunil Jain CEO, Hero Future Energies and Kanika Chawla, Sr. Programme Lead, Council on Energy, Environment and Water with Manisha Natarajan on CNBC-TV18, in which they shared their views on whether India’s solar story is really shining and whether sunny days are ahead for solar power in India.

Publication: Money Control

Compared to sector-leaders like Andhra Pradesh or Rajasthan it may seem trifling, but for Kerala it’s still a big leap ‘sunward.’ In the next few months, the state’s combined solar power capacity is tipped to touch the 100 MW mark. The combined capability now stands at a little over 90 MW, with a number of projects set to be completed soon and several others in the pipeline, according to the KSEB.

Publication: The New Indian Express

India is treading a strong renewable energy path post-Paris Agreement as it witnesses a step-up in Chinese investments in solar energy. Additionally, there’s a significant slowdown in Chinese investments in thermal power plants. This fact of slowdown came to light in a just-released report of the Global Environmental Institute (GEI) which says China’s overseas investment, including in India, into 240 coal power plants along the Belt and Road Initiative has slowed down in 2016 after the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Publication: Business Standard

Government of India has announced that its new electric vehicle policy will be ready by December. This new policy will aim at promoting eco-friendly vehicles to curb the rising pollution. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said that the responsible ministers have submitted recommendations to the cabinet secretary and is now in the process of preparing a draft plan. This upcoming policy is expected to be largely based on the report submitted by NITI Aayog.

Publication: Carwale

Fancy taking a ride around Nagpur in an electric taxi sometime soon? As many as 200 of these taxis — the first of their kind in the country — will hit the city’s streets on May 26. The pet project of Union transport and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari, the project has been organised in collaboration with app-based taxi service provider Ola. A few electric buses and autos will also be unveiled at the launch, which will be attended by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, a senior Ola official told HT.

Publication: Hindustan Times

Electric vehicles (EV) are the future, and the global resurgence of electric cars over the past few years indicates the growing popularity of these vehicles. Nearly every car manufacturer worth its salt has invested heavily in developing EVs. The obvious benefits of an EV, such as reduction in air as well as noise pollution, have also prompted governments across the world to offer major subsidies on these vehicles.

Publication: Over Drive

Stepping ahead into the whole new era of interconnected things, the world has moved beyond the boundaries in order to create a smart space and lead a smart lifestyle. We are rapidly adapting to the continually transforming technology at a faster pace than ever, which has marked the beginning of a smart revolution along with a smart economy.

Publication: Dataquest

A recent article by Swaminathan S A Aiyar (‘Roll Out the Sun, But Gently‘) and an editorial (‘Solar Power Calls for New Accounting‘) on this page have cast doubts on the Centre’s 100 GW target for solar energy by 2022. The writeups have argued that solar prices are going to drop further on account of long-term interest-rate reductions and improvement in module technology, and that the costs of managing intermittency are steep. So, investments in ‘expensive’ solar today are questionable.

Publication: The Economic Times

A new tariff war is playing out in the Indian solar power space. Tariffs plunged to a new low of Rs2.44 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) last week during an auction for 500 megawatt (MW) capacity at the Bhadla solar park in Rajasthan. Tariffs in the solar space have declined significantly over the years and have come down from levels in excess of Rs10 per kWh at the beginning of this decade to the present record lows, as capacity is being added at a record pace.

Publication: Live Mint

Even as the government is looking at an ambitious programme to drive use and ownership of electric vehicles in the country, there already is a strong eco-system in place for electric rickshaws, says Mayank Dhingra. The third edition of the Battery Vehicle Expo and Electric Vehicle Show, which was held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from March 27-29, seemed to be the preserve of around 12 electric rickshaw manufacturers.

Publication: Autocar Professional 

In past few years, India has achieved an impressive growth in adding renewable energy generation. Efforts have been made to alleviate the long standing problems like power shortages, rural electrifications, poor distribution companies (Discom) financial health and non performing energy assets through various policy interventions. However the current penetration of renewable energy is low about 15% of total energy supply.

Publication: BW Disrupt

Switching to renewable sources of energy is the global preference now and an environmental priority. As the second-largest coal user, India needs to perfect its infrastructure a whole lot better to replace the use of coal completely.  A recent Niti Aayog report has put full and comprehensive focus on environment friendly and transformative mobility solutions that could well prove to be the basis for an all-new green car policy of India.

Publication: Daily Pioneer

India has overtaken the US to become the second-most attractive country after China for renewable energy investment, according to a report by UK accountancy firm EY. In an annual ranking of the top 40 renewable energy markets worldwide in terms of allure, China was ranked at the top, followed by India.

Publication: Hindustan Times

FICCI led a high-level business delegation accompanying Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Govt. of India to Vienna and London from May 10-13, 2017. The purpose of this visit was not only to see stronger business ties but also to express what could beckon Austria and UK to India.

Publication: Millennium Post 

An expert panel has recommended setting up of a massive charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and enable users to pay electronically through various digital payment schemes such as BHIM app. These recommendations are a part of the report submitted by the committee for Standardisation of the Protocol for Charging Infrastructure chaired by Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Adviser to the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.

Publication: The Indian Express

India has moved up to the second spot from third position in this year’s ‘Renewable energy country attractiveness index’ released by EY. This is primarily due to a combination of strong government support and increasingly attractive economics, EY said in a statement.

Publication: The Economic Times

Union minister Nitin Gadkari’s announcement on Monday that the government will be ready with electric vehicle policy by December for promoting eco-friendly vehicles is a step in the right direction. The minister said the pilot project of electric vehicle transportation is ready to be launched in Nagpur on May 26, which will include 200 electric taxis and an electric bus which may be replicated by other cities.

Publication: DNA

An expert panel has recommended setting up of a massive charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and enable users to pay electronically through various digital payment schemes such as BHIM app. These recommendations are a part of the report submitted by the committee for Standardisation of the Protocol for Charging Infrastructure chaired by Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Adviser to the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.

Publication: Business Standard

China and India have surpassed the United States to become the two most attractive countries for renewable energy investment, a report by UK accountancy firm Ernst & Young showed on Tuesday. In an annual ranking of the top 40 renewable energy markets worldwide in terms of allure, China was the top country, followed by India. The United States, which ranked the highest last year, slumped to third place, due to a shift in US energy policy under President Donald Trump.

Publication: First Post

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to boost domestic manufacturing of solar energy equipment is expected to see streamlined efforts. According to officials in the know, the Government is examining a proposal for setting up a Renewable Energy Export Council. The need for such a council follows the ambitious National Solar Mission targeting an indigenous manufacturing capacity of 4-5 GW by 2020. According to data shared by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India’s installed solar cell manufacturing capacity stood at 2,953 MW till December 2016.

Publication: The Hindu Business Line

The first electric taxi fleet in the country is going to be launched in Nagpur from the 26th of May 2017. With India’s pledge to go all electric by 2030, this is a good way to get things rolling. Union Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari, had earlier said that the trial of the electric radio cabs will begin from the 24th of May 2017 but now that has been postponed by two days to coincide with the three year completion of the Narendra Modi government. Nagpur will be the first city in the country to adopt electric cabs and the success of this project will determine its applicability in other cities.

Publication: NDTV

An inter-ministerial panel has recommended that the government place an order to procure 2.7 lakh electric vehicles including 20,000 buses by its agencies such as state transport undertakings. The move is expected to kickstart big investments in the electric vehicle industry. It has also suggested the government provide free charging facility for the first three years to attract potential vehicle buyers.

Publication: The Times of India

Aimed at promoting eco-friendly vehicles, the government will be ready with its electric vehicle policy by December, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said today. Accelerated adoption of electric and shared vehicles could save $60 billion in diesel and petrol costs while cutting down as much as 1 gigatonne (GT) of carbon emissions for India by 2030, government think tank Niti Aayog in a joint report with Rock Mountain Institute said last week.

Publication: The Economic Times

India’s push for electric vehicles (EV) may lead to a substantial change in its energy security priorities, with securing lithium supplies, a key raw material for making batteries, becoming as important as buying oil and gas fields overseas. The government is exploring measures ranging from leasing of electric vehicles to transferring technology to firms for commercial production of lithium-ion batteries developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre for use in automobiles, Mint reported. However, India does not have enough lithium reserves for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries.

Publication: Live Mint

India’s potential plan to sell only electric cars by the end of next decade would require nearly eight times the global stock of such vehicles, according to the International Energy Agency. The country would need to sell more than 10 million electric cars in 2030, compared with the almost 1.3 million on the road worldwide in 2015, the agency said in an emailed response to questions. The goal also equals 10 percent of the 2030 target for electric vehicles on the road globally agreed to in the Paris climate talks.

Publication: NDTV Auto

Accelerated adoption of electric and shared vehicles could save USD 60 billion in diesel and petrol costs while cutting down as much as 1 gigatonne (GT) of carbon emissions for India by 2030, says a joint report released today by Niti Aayog. It said however that the country faces challenges that signal the “gravitational pull of privately owned vehicles”.

Publication: ET Auto

In what could form the basis of India’s new green car policy, the government may consider doling out both fiscal and non-fiscal incentives and subsidies to push sales of electric vehicles while discouraging the use of petrol and diesel-run vehicles, following a report from its think-tank Niti Aayog. According to the Aayog’s report on transformative mobility solutions unveiled on Friday, India can save as much as $60 billion in energy costs by 2030 and one gigatonne of carbon dioxide emissions between 2017 and 2030 if it adopts more electric and shared vehicles.

Publication: The Times of India

Declining solar power tariffs have resulted in fewer clean energy deals because of concerns that electricity offtake commitments at higher tariffs may not be honoured. Deal makers and experts say that the proposed transactions for the solar projects with high tariffs are increasingly being put on a back burner in the backdrop of record low tariffs of Rs2.44 per unit recorded last week at Bhadla in Rajasthan.

Publication: Live Mint

Adani Group’s renewable energy arm is seeking to raise external equity capital after having pumped in millions of dollars of its own money to build a pipeline of projects worth over 2 gigawatts (GW), two people aware of the development said. The proposed fundraising could see Adani’s renewable arm—Adani Green Energy Ltd—raise as much as $200 million (about Rs 1,300 crore), said one of the two people cited above, requesting anonymity, as the talks are private.

Publication: Live Mint

One of the developments that has brought India onto the world map is solar energy. From a figure of 2,650 MW, capacity has increased to 10,000 MW in just over two years. This is important as the increase has taken place when tariff rates had crashed over the years. From a tariff rate of around Rs 12 per unit in 2010, solar power touched a tariff of Rs 2.62 per unit in the recently auctioned Bhadla Solar Park, Rajasthan.

Publication: Money Control

Over the last few decades many businesses have been affected by disruptive technologies which have delivered the same products as theirs at much lower cost and in an easier way. Be it telecommunication, computers, taxi operations, hospitality or travel, all have faced the brunt of technological disruption. The power sector is also facing the impact of developments in solar and wind technology, both globally as well as in India.

Publication: Money Control

Solar parks have helped renewable energy companies reduce tariffs substantially but some developers are complaining that at times the parks charge high fee and do not provide adequate infrastructure. Gyanesh Chaudhary, CEO and MD at Vikram Solar, said: “Unlike the Rewa auction, there are a lot of unknown factors in other auctions for solar parks. Terms and conditions for each of these parks also vary, making the unknown component vastly different for each auction at each park.” He said developers should make sure that park authorities divulge all costs.

Publication: The Economic Times

The government will come out with a policy for promotion of electric vehicles this fiscal with an aim to make India a global leader in the segment, Union minister Piyush Goyal said today. “We will see a very robust policy (for promotion of electric vehicles) in this fiscal,” the power and coal minister, who is on a four-day visit to Vienna and London with a business delegation, told PTI in an interview.

Publication: Money Control

India’s potential plan to sell only electric cars by the end of next decade would require nearly eight times the global stock of such vehicles, according to the International Energy Agency. The country would need to sell more than 10 million electric cars in 2030, compared with the almost 1.3 million on the road worldwide in 2015, the agency said in an emailed response to questions. The goal also equals 10 percent of the 2030 target for electric vehicles on the road globally agreed to in the Paris climate talks.

Publication: BloombergQuint

The government will come out with a policy for promotion of electric vehicles this fiscal with an aim to make India a global leader in the segment, Union minister Piyush Goyal said today. “We will see a very robust policy (for promotion of electric vehicles) in this fiscal,” the power and coal minister, who is on a four-day visit to Vienna and London with a business delegation, told in an interview.

Publication: ET Auto

ith an objective of lowering fuel imports and overall running cost of vehicles, Piyush Goyal, Minister of state with independent charge for power, coal and renewable energy and mines has now said that ministers and officials under this division will start using electric cars to promote the use of electric vehicles.

Publication: ET Auto

Electric vehicles (EVs) are growing in popularity and certainly in mind space. They are cleaner and more efficient, and even fun (think Tesla). Their growth, however, is still considered just a market problem: The end user should choose on the basis of what it costs to buy and run, or how it performs, etc. Markets matter, but there is also a need for government and policy inputs. EVs, after all, operate within broader energy and transportation ecosystems with their own distortions. Unless we understand Indian-use cases, drivers (in both senses of the word), limitations and opportunities, we risk ambitious targets that remain aspirational.

Publication: Live Mint

The government’s smart city programme will lead to urban transformation and also help in economic growth, Urban Development Secretary Rajiv Gauba said. He said that smart technologies should be incorporated in existing cities. Launched on June 25, 2015, the Smart Cities Mission aims to develop 100 smart cities across the country in a five-year period. The government has earmarked Rs 48,000 crore for the development of these cities.

Publication: Financial Express

The price of solar power touched a new low on Wednesday in the bidding held for the Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district. Companies looking to put up a 250-megawatt (Mw) unit there put a bid of Rs 2.62 a unit, lower than the average price of coal-based power in the country. This could mean thin margins for developers; Rs 2.62 could be the starting point for a further low when bidding for another 500 Mw at the park comes up on Thursday.

Publication: Business Standard

Solar power tariffs in India reached another historic low of Rs. 2.62 per kwH, becoming cheaper than those at many coal-fired plants, at the latest auction at the Adani Renewable Energy Park in Rajasthan. The winners of the 250-MW projects auctioned by the Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) were Phelan Energy Group of South Africa, which won 50 MW at Rs. 2.62 per unit, Avaada Power Pvt Ltd that won 100 MW at Rs.2.62, and SBG Cleantech, which was awarded the remaining 100 MW at a tariff one paisa higher at Rs.2.63 per kwH. Avaada Power was set up by Vineet Mittal, who formerly headed Welspun’s renewables business before it was sold to Tata Power.

Publication: The Economic Times

Undoubtedly, electric vehicles are the way forward and India too must adopt the technology soon. But there are many environmental and infrastructural barriers before we can take the big leap. Recently Piyush Goyal, Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines, opined that by 2030, India must move towards self-sufficient electric vehicles that can replace the sale and use of petrol and diesel vehicles. The outlook of the Minister was met with a lot of skepticism as 2030 is just 13 years away, which gives India a very short run-up to switch to an all-electric transport system.

Publication: Daily Pioneer

Carmakers readying a salvo of electric cars will be stung by ramp-up costs until about 2025, amid an industry-wide push to make the vehicles more appealing to the mass market, according to automotive supplier Continental AG. “High battery costs, limits to driving ranges and charging times mean that electric cars won’t have an economic advantage over combustion engines until 2025,” Continental’s Chief Financial Officer Wolfgang Schaefer said in a phone interview.

Publication: The Indian Express

Some time ago, a report cited the Indian government’s intention to shift to electric vehicles. The government was reportedly in talks with car makers to explore the viability of leasing electric vehicles and setting up proper supporting infrastructure to promote the use of clean energy vehicles, and shift to EVs completely in about 15 years.

Publication: Digit

Now you can get technologically advanced handy charger for your electric vehicles (EVs), which you can carry in the two-wheeler itself. President Pranab Mukherjee will launch these indigenously developed EV chargers on Thursday. The science and technology ministry has partly funded the research and development of this product under Make in India initiative.

Publication: The Times of India

Apex automobile industry body, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), has expressed reservations about the latest road map being worked upon by the Indian government. The government’s think-tank NITI Aayog recently came out with its draft proposal to introduce a new mobility policy which is strongly tilted towards electric vehicles (EVs).

Publication:  Autocar India

Indian auto sector is expected to invest around Rs 1 lakh crore for upgrading products to meet various upcoming regulations related to emissions, safety and fuel efficiency, according to industry body SIAM. From October this year, all new models will have to meet offset and side crash test norms, which will become mandatory for all models by 2019.

Publication: The Economic Times

Swedish car-maker Volvo Cars will now focus its strategy towards bringing in electric and plug-in hybrids and the company confirms that its first electric model will be a 40-series-sized car for global markets. It was in April 2017 when Swedish car maker Volvo Cars said that the company will build its fully electric car in China that will go on sale in 2019.

Publication: ET Auto

Government think-tank NITI Aayog this week recommended lowering taxes and interest rates for loans on electric vehicles (EVs). The body has also suggested capping sales of conventional cars, signaling a dramatic shift in policy in one of the world’s fastest-growing auto markets.

Publication: Business World

This would also involve capping sales of conventional cars, thereby signalling a dramatic shift in policy in India, one of the world’s fastest growing auto markets which in FY’16-17 crossed three million sales in the passenger vehicle market. According to Reuters, a 90-page draft report has suggested that the government open a battery plant by the end of 2018 and use tax revenues from the sale of petrol and diesel-engined vehicles to set up charging stations for EVs.

Publication: Autocar India

Days after Niti Aayog proposed to shift to electric vehicles by 2032, the government has already set wheels in motion for the proposal. The government is eyeing bulk procurement for e-vehicles and is in talks with private players for same, according to a CNBC-TV18 report.

Publication: Money Control

India’s solar power tariffs took a further nose dive with bidders quoting a price below Rs2.75 per unit to set up 250 megawatt (MW) of capacity at Bhadla in Rajasthan. This price is lower than the average rate of power generated by the coal-fuelled projects of India’s largest power generation utility, NTPC Ltd, at Rs3.20 per unit.

Publication: Live Mint

Solar power tariffs appear to be on a free fall in India to find a new floor at Rs 2.62 per unit, some 18% lower than the average price of Rs 3.20 charged by India’s largest generation utility NTPC for electricity generated by its coal-fired plants. The historic low was quoted by Phelan Energy and Avaada Power during bidding for packages of 50 MW and 100 MW, respectively, of the fourth phase of Bhadla solar power project in Rajasthan.

Publication: The Times of India

With 8.8 gigawatt (GW) of capacity addition projected for the year ahead, India is set to become the third biggest solar market globally in 2017, overtaking Japan, according to the India Solar Handbook 2017 released by Bridge to India (BTI) on Monday.

Publication: Live Mint

India’s power demand growth may not keep pace with the expansion in solar energy capacity, which may slow down capacity addition from the renewable source in 2018 before it recovers in the following year, consultancy Bridge to India said. In its latest handbook on solar energy, it estimates that solar capacity addition will be a record 7.7 GW (gigawatts) in 2017, but will fall to 6.5 GW the following year. It will recover to 7.5 GW in 2019 , before scaling new heights of 8 GW in 2020 and 8.3 GW in 2021

Publication: The Economic Times

The recent decision of the Supreme Court not to allow a revision of the tariff charged by Tata Power Co. Ltd and Adani Power Ltd for their 4,000MW (megawatt) and 4,620MW Mundra ultra-mega power projects (UMPPs) based on Indonesian coal raises serious concerns about the viability of these projects. In both cases, a decision by the Indonesian government to link the price of coal exported from the country to a benchmark based on international prices of coal has toppled carefully laid plans.

Publication: Live Mint

India plans to drive the internal combustion engine to extinction. The Narendra Modi government has set a sales target of six million electric vehicles by 2020 with an even more ambitious goal of having sales of new oil-driven vehicles ceasing by 2030. It is not clear if these targets include plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles or refer only to electric battery cars. The benefits for a country whose cities are choking on air pollution and one that is considered among the most vulnerable to climate change are obvious.

Publication: The Hindustan Times

India is planning a massive shift to electric vehicles (EVs) in the country over the next decade and a half. It is understood that the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), the premier policy think-tank’ of the government of India which provides both directional and policy inputs, has recommended lowering of taxes and interest rates for loans on EVs.

Publication: Autocar Professional 

India’s most influential government think-tank has recommended lowering taxes and interest rates for loans on electric vehicles, while capping sales of conventional cars, signalling a dramatic shift in policy in one of the world’s fastest growing auto markets. A draft of the 90-page blueprint, seen by Reuters, also suggests the government opens a battery plant by the end of 2018 and uses tax revenues from the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles to set up charging stations for electric vehicles.

Publication: The Hans India

India’s most influential government think-tank has recommended lowering taxes and interest rates for loans on electric vehicles, while capping sales of conventional cars, signaling a dramatic shift in policy in one of the world’s fastest growing auto markets.

Publication: News 18

The Supreme Court has stayed trading in Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), whose prices have been reduced by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). REC-generating companies had filed the petition in the court against the CERC action. The court on Monday also stayed the new price regime introduced by the CERC, said sources privy to the hearing.

Publication: Business Standard

In a first, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Toyota Mobility Foundation have called on entrepreneurs to come out with tech-based solutions to make public transport initiatives safer, more affordable and convenient, and to integrate them with other public modes of transport. Called the Stamp (Station Access and Mobility Programme) Challenge, this open innovation programme in the urban mobility sector is aimed at nurturing tech-based interventions in the country.

Publication: Your Story

As per the reports by the leading national daily, Niti Aayog, government think tank has taken a step to promote the electric vehicles over the conventional vehicles in the country, the Niti Aayog has recommended lower interest rates and taxes for loans on electric vehicles. This new development might open roads for the Indian automobile industry, believes experts. The government is aiming to electrify all the vehicles in the country by 2032. India has emerged as the biggest market for the two-wheelers.

Publication: India Infoline

India’s most influential government think-tank has recommended lowering taxes and interest rates for loans on electric vehicles, while capping sales of conventional cars, signalling a dramatic shift in policy in one of the world’s fastest growing auto markets. A draft of the 90-page blueprint, seen by Reuters, also suggests the government opens a battery plant by the end of 2018 and uses tax revenues from the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles to set up charging stations for electric vehicles.

Publication: ET Energy World

India’s most influential government think-tank has recommended lowering taxes and interest rates for loans on electric vehicles, while capping sales of conventional cars, signalling a dramatic shift in policy in one of the world’s fastest growing auto markets. A draft of the 90-page blueprint, seen by Reuters, also suggests the government opens a battery plant by the end of 2018 and uses tax revenues from the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles to set up charging stations for electric vehicles.

Publication: Business Standard

India’s most influential government think-tank has recommended lowering taxes and interest rates for loans on electric vehicles, while capping sales of conventional cars, signalling a dramatic shift in policy in one of the world’s fastest growing auto markets. A draft of the 90-page blueprint, seen by Reuters, also suggests the government opens a battery plant by the end of 2018 and uses tax revenues from the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles to set up charging stations for electric vehicles.

Publication: Live Mint

Last week the Nitin Gadkari-headed Ministry of Road Transport and Highways concluded a tender inviting companies for leasing electric cars for its official use. A minimum of five such cars will be run daily for ‘at least 100 km at a stretch’, stated a notification. Further, the municipal corporation of Nagpur, the home town of Gadkari, is talking to Mahindra & Mahindra, the only manufacturer of electric cars in India, to procure 200 electric cars to be run as taxis in that city.

Publication: Money Control

Tata Motors plans test runs for its 9-meter and 12-meter electric buses across the country to generate interest among the State transport corporations, even as it urges government to pay higher subsidy on electric vehicles compared with hybrid vehicles under the upcoming electric vehicle policy. “We have already started test runs of our 9-meter electric vehicles in the state of Himachal Pradesh, and it is our intent to make a number of these vehicles available all across the country to generate interest,” Ravindra Pisharody, executive director, commercial vehicles of Tata Motors said.

Publication: The Financial Express

After having accomplished some remarkable milestones in the space technology, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is now focusing on the automobile space with an emphasis on renewable energy. The agency has demonstrated successful test drive of a solar hybrid electric car. ISRO says the car was designed and developed with in-house expertise at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), which the lead centre for launch vehicles development in ISRO. The test was conducted in March where the sola hybrid electric car successfully managed an uphill drive.

Publication: BGR

Starting today and over the next four weeks, I plan to solve the problems that the Indian automotive growth story faces. From emissions to safety and from urban clogging to alternative fuels, I plan to address them all. The solutions range from gun licenses to wooden tops and primary education to body shapers…so bear with me. A few days back, Piyush Goel – Minister of Power & Renewable Energy, stated that no conventional (fossil fuel powered) cars would be allowed registration after 2030. In simple speak this means that the government is pushing us towards an Electric Vehicle future.

Publication: The Financial Express

In what can be termed as a major setback to Mahindra & Mahindra’s vision of expanding its electric vehicle sales, the company has stopped selling electric cars in the UK market, claims a Reuters report. In addition, Mahindra UK as a company too is in the process of winding its operations within an undisclosed period of time. The development comes in less than a year of launching the e2o electric car in the market. Although the company considered the UK and many European markets positive for adopting electric vehicle technology, sales have been far too low.

Publication: The Financial Express

Institute of Taxation & Accounting Professionals (iTAP) in association with Efftronics will organise a two-day national symposium on ‘Smart cities- challenges and opportunities’ at Hotel Fortune Murali Park here from May 5, Efftronics managing director D Ramakrishna has said. Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Ramakrishna said that the two-day national symposium was aimed at creating awareness among government, industry and academia on various challenges and opportunities available in smart cities arena with latest technological trends like internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), big data, analytics and mobile applications.

Publication: The New Indian Express

India has big plans for electric vehicles. In fact, India wants to go all electric by 2030 with no sale of petrol and diesel cars. And for the first time, the government actually looks serious about it too. It had directed ISRO to share its lithium-ion battery technology with the private sector. There was also a National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020 that envisaged incentives for manufacturers of electric vehicles, creating charging infrastructure and promoting research in battery technology.

Publication: India Times

Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Canada’s largest alternative asset manager, will look for renewable energy opportunities in India as the country seeks to reduce its reliance on coal. “It’s looking for a way to create both domestic sources of power and reduce pollution,” Sachin Shah, chief executive officer of Brookfield Renewable Partners LP, said on a conference call Wednesday. “So you’ve got strong government support. All of that fits in with our thesis that it could be a really great market for us to invest in over the next 50 years.”

Publication: The Financial Express

The rapid deployment of renewable energy projects across several States in recent times has thrown State utilities’ power calculations out of gear, forcing them to rework their strategies. A tepid growth in power demand in several States, along with the availability of cheaper power in exchanges and improved inter/intra regional power evacuation networks, have driven State planners to put fossil fuel projects on hold and revisit power purchase agreements (PPAs) to capitalise on falling power prices.

Publication: The Hindu Business Line

Electric buses may soon be available for as low as ₹95 lakh, said Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping. “While electric buses were available for ₹2.5 crore till a few days ago, there was a presentation, according to which we are going to get electric buses for ₹95 lakh,” Gadkari said at a logsitics event.

Publication: The Hindu Business Line

For the first time in the country , a feed-in tariff for rooftop solar power will be fixed by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) soon. State power utility Tangedco has proposed the new tariff to resolve the net-metering problems faced by rooftop power generators.

Publication: The Times of India

Even as the Modi government is hard-selling its “Make in India” mission, a PSU from the prime minister’s home state has put a spoke in the wheels of domestic manufacturers of solar power modules. Inviting tenders for the development of an 80 mega watt (MW) plant at the Charanka solar park in Gujarat’s Patan district, Gujarat Industries Power Company (GIPCL) has added a rider: The bidders must supply modules that have a 25-year insurance cover.

Publication: The Financial Express

Make in India by far has been the most successful campaign launched by the current government in September 2014.  The initiative helped open up investments by both foreign direct investment and private investors into sectors that had never seen investments by non-government individuals, said Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

Publication: Money Control

In a recent statement, India’s Minister of Power, Piyush Goyal said, “We are going to introduce electric vehicles in a very big way.” “We are going to make electric vehicles self- sufficient like Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA). The idea is that by 2030, not a single petrol or diesel car should be sold in the country,” he said while addressing the CII Annual Session 2017 in New Delhi on Saturday.

Publication: Money Control

The Indian electric vehicles (EV) market poses formidable challenges for policymakers, according to consulting firm Bridge to India. This comes in the backdrop of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s ambitious plan for an all-EV fleet by 2030, even as the sales numbers have not been picking up to help reach the Centre’s target of 6 million EV sales by 2020.

Publication: Live Mint

Ashlee Vance, in his recent biography Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, And The Quest For A Fantastic Future, writes that Tesla’s original founders encountered few venture capitalist funds willing to advance relatively modest investments their way in 2003. But Tesla grew to dethrone General Motors a few weeks ago as America’s most valued automobile company. The resistance in its formative years, and Tesla’s astounding success thereafter, share a common cause: its exclusive focus on electric cars.

Publication: Live Mint

Two smart cities are at war over water contamination, as Pune releases 64,600 million litres of untreated sewage into the drinking water source of Solapur every year. While the two cities are part of the Centre’s Smart Cities Mission, Solapur citizens want action against Pune for its apathy to treat its sewage. Elected representatives and the citizens of Solapur, about 250km away from Pune, have asked the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to take care of its sewage.

Publication: The Times of India

SmartCity, the much vaunted global knowledge township project, may not have the most auspicious start in Kochi after a delay of almost a decade getting off the block, while the absence of marquee players did little for an image makeover when the first phase was eventually commissioned over a year ago.

Publication: The Hindu

India is looking at having an all-electric car fleet by 2030 with an express objective of lowering the fuel import bill and running cost of vehicles. “We are going to introduce electric vehicles in a very big way. We are going to make electric vehicles self- sufficient like Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA). The idea is that by 2030, not a single petrol or diesel car should be sold in the country,” power minister Piyush Goyal said while addressing the CII Annual Session 2017 in New Delhi on Saturday.

Publication: Live Mint

Kinetic Green, India’s largest manufacturer of government approved electric three-wheeler vehicles, has launched its first electric three-wheeler with advanced lithium ion battery. Though the vehicle with the new battery is currently being homologated, a pilot batch is scheduled to be launched within 30 days. Currently most electric three wheelers, such as eRickshaws, use lead acid battery that is not only heavier and has a short life but also takes longer to charge.

Publication: NDTV Auto

Scientists have developed a safer alternative to fire-prone lithium-ion batteries, which are common in household devices such as smartphones and laptops. Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) developed the nickel-zinc (Ni-Zn) batteries in which a three-imensional Zn “sponge” replaces the powdered zinc anode, or positively charged electrode, traditionally used.

Publication: The Hindu Business Line

The government is exploring a strategy to task a company with buying electric vehicles (EVs) in bulk and then leasing them to companies such as taxi aggregators, in an attempt to bring down the cost of such vehicles. The strategy is to encourage more manufacturers to make electric vehicles. The number of electric vehicle purchases may range between 200,000 and 1 million.

Publication: Live Mint

When Piyush Goyal took over as the Union Minister for Power, Coal and Renewable Energy in May 2014, he inherited perhaps the worst of the UPA regime’s handiwork. In October 2014, at least 56 thermal power stations were reporting critical coal stock levels of or less than seven days. India’s power distribution companies, for a decade and a half, were caught in a debt trap and forced into borrowing for funding of everyday operational expenses.

Publication: DNA

The ability of power purchase agreements to keep energy tariffs low is a boon for state governments, according to the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power and Renewable Energy, Piyush Goyal. Speaking at the CII Annual General Meeting in a session on the Changing Energy Economics and India, Goyal said, “At this price, to lock in power for 25 years is a great deal, 25 years from now, I imagine coal-based thermal power will be at probably Rs. 10 a unit.”

Publication: The Hindu Business Line

Several countries in the world are increasingly looking towards cleaner energy to power automobiles. Aiming to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, not just western but several developing nations like India and China too have begun looking at alternate energy in an unprecedented manner.

Publication: The Times of India

India consumes 309 GW of power and still 300 million people in the country live without access to electricity. By 2030, India’s energy consumption is expected to rise to 700 GW. The escalated demand will be not only to due to the growth in the manufacturing industry but also due to electoral promises of providing full access electricity to all citizens by 2022. To achieve this unimaginable, India is placing its bets on both coal and solar energy.

Publication: Deccan Herald