Hey, India, Check This Out

India and Britain consider themselves close allies. They ought to work on using the huge amounts of sewage in India to run better public transport. Whoever manages to do this, will also become very, very wealthy, as sewage is a constantly renewable resource. With the strong rapport between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India and David Cameron of the UK, this is a technology that both Britain and India should try to implement as quickly as possible. I lived with my parents at the Old Tower Block in Madras for many years, and remember watching in despair as the Adyar River became a sewage carrying, stinking mess. Madras also has the Cooum, aka the Buckingham Canal, which is even filthier, though there still were benches along its banks in Egmore along Commander in Chief Road, to remind us of a time when people took boats down it for pleasure. All that poop could power a lot of buses and save huge amounts of foreign exchange for India. Hopefully, someone in New Delhi and London is watching this new technology, and planning to do a lot with it. Do check out the fantastic Geneco UK website. And, do subscribe to their Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

India's First Net Zero Energy Building - I Am Not Convinced

India's "The Hindu" newspaper has a story about what is claimed to be India's first Net-Zero Energy Building. While I am not clear if the building in question has been certified by an external and independent agency to be Net-Zero, if, indeed, this is truly Net-Zero, then it is a remarkable achievement. I am not entirely convinced that this is the case, though, when you have a 930 kW peak power solar generation capacity in a 31,488 Sq Meter building with "robotic parking" and central HVAC system. Something, somewhere, is amiss. That said, if this does spark off an interest in actually building net-zero structures in India, it would be fantastic. Right now, I do think this is hype, not fact. I shudder to think of how this will end up making India a butt of jokes for a while, when experts investigate this and find the claim to have a lot of Blue Sky to it.

Well done, Tata Power Solar! Now, for a Similar Project in India . . .

Solar Thermal Magazine has this announcement of a very significant project by Tata Power Solar and British Gas for Toyota in the UK. I know I've made this point several million times before, but it needs to be reinforced - Toyota are no fools, and they know exactly how to offer great cars at reasonable prices. This means that they are not, quite, a company that is likely to invest hugely in solar power if it would mean adding to the cost of manufacturing their cars, and eventually get passed on to consumers who might, well end up looking at better priced options form others. Also, a point to note - if solar power is viable in always dark and overcast Britain, guess how much more viable it would be in ever bright and sunny India? What next, Tata? A similar solar roof at one of your automobile plants? That might be a great idea! Anyone interested is welcome to check out Tata Power Solar's website. .

If Cold and Foggy Norway could Build a ZEB Home that Generates 3 Times as much Power as it Needs, Guess What Sunny India Could Do

Gizmag, a site that I believe everyone with an interest in technology should follow, has this report about a very interesting house designed in Norway. Basically, the house has solar PVs and water heating systems, along with a rain water harvesting system in a design that captures the maximum amount of sunlight in such a cold place. The pictures show a home that is pleasing to the eye, and that could send a lot of electricity into the grid instead of drawing from it. In short, for a net power deficit country like India, this could be a panacea. There would be no need to worry about the frequent power failures that are a way of life there, and, by merely being there, the home could generate electricity and help other properties in the neighborhood. If the owners have an electric car or motorcycle, that would get charged for free as well.

US Company is Looking for an Indoor Air Quality Management Tie Up for India

A leading Health and Environmental Services company in the US is looking at partnering with an Indian company to offer services for indoor air quality monitoring and management. This would be particularly important in maintaining healthy indoor air inside centrally airconditioned buildings like malls, cinema theaters, convention centers, software and service centers etc. It would be even more important inside industrial facilities, but the company in question does not work in industrial zones. I do know of a second company that works in industrial air quality, but I have not discussed expansion into India with them. On the minus side, awareness of problems associated with poor air quality are low in India. On the plus side, if a company has an interest in taking this up, it could be worth a huge amount of money once awareness spreads. Please let me know if anyone is interested in discussing this.

Four New 1000 MW Solar Powerplants - Well Done, India!

It is encouraging to go to bed with this good news from The Economic Times. Rajasthanm Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, all states that receive high DNI, will receive new 1000 MW solar powerplants each. The government also plans to advance the deadline for 20,000 MW of solar power set by the previous government. I would hope, as a next step, that large government buildings and railway stations will see solar panels on their roofs. There is a lot of area that is currently wasted and that could be covered with solar PVs to generate power that is currently remotely generated at distant powerplants and fed in over long distance transmission lines. I hope that this is a beginning, and not an end in itself. It does look like the new government has got down to business fast. Here's wishing them success!

Dubai's Pioneering Example could be Replicated Across South Asia

Gulf News has this article about a pioneering new initiative to build solar powered sheltered bus stops in Dubai. While the wealthy Middle Eastern Emirate makes a lot of money from oil and gas, its Arab rulers have been smart enough to understand that the fierce sun that shines down on them, could be put to work making them comfortable. Typically, for a wealthy country, Dubai's "bus shelters" are airconditioned and designed to be like high end waiting rooms. Much positive inspiration could be derived from this, though, across South Asia, a region that sends millions of people to work in Dubai, its surrounding Emirates, and in other countries in the region. I'll bet that a majority of the laborers who set these bus shelters up, many of the site-managers and other professionals involved, were all South Asians. And, while South Asia might not get UAE levels of solar DNI except for some desert regions, the entire region still receives enough sunlight to run a lot of equipment. And, the bus shelters don't need to be as expensive or elaborate as in Dubai. Now, if only South Asian countries could put solar PVs on bus and train stop roofs, and use them to drive fans underneath to keep passengers warm when it gets hot (or possibly ceramic heaters to provide warmth in those spots where it gets cold) it just might make public transport more attractive. Let's hope that it happens!

Congratulations, ONGC! Well done!

My good friends at Urban Green Energy Inc, a cutting-edge Renewable Energy systems developer, have done a study along with ONGC India on the use of renewable energy on oil and gas platforms. This is a pioneering study, and one that would have very positive consequences worldwide if it becomes a trend. It is a matter of pride that an Indian company is a global pioneer in this field. And, that's why, I'll say this again, Congratulations ONGC, and thank you, UGE. Well done, folks! Anyone interested in the details of the study can access it at this link. Do check it out and be pleasantly surprised at the kind of creative solutions that my friends are capable of coming up with!

GE Designs a Wind Turbine for Indian Wind Conditions

Solar Thermal Magazine, an excellent resource for anyone interested in Renewable and Clean Energy, has this piece about a new GE wind turbine design specifically for Indian "low wind" conditions. What is also encouraging is the fact that the turbine was designed and engineered at GE's Bangalore development center, and that it will be manufactured in India. This means possibilities for it to be marketed throughout the region, as other South Asian countries enjoy not only similar wind conditions, but they also have a regional trade arrangement that allows the countries to deal in their national currencies and bypass the dollar. This Asian Clearing Union trade should make it much cheaper to export these turbines and help address the severe electric power shortages across the region.

Bullitt Center in Seattle - A Building that Generates Twice the Electricity That it Consumes

Solar Today magazine has this article about the Bullitt Center, a high tech building that generates twice as much electricity as it consumes. Seattle, as the article points out, is cloud-swept most of the year. Just think of the potential in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where electricity is in short supply most of the year. Think also about the fact that these countries receive more than 6 hours of sunshine a day, for more than 325 days a year. It is stupid of the authorities to not look at infrastructure of this kind . . .

Authoritative Solar Industry Magazine Endorses Indian Solar Effort

Solar Thermal Magazine, an authoritative industry journal, has hailed the new 4 GW solar PV plant being built in India in the state of Rajasthan. I am also aware of an effort to bring one of the most advanced concentrating solar plants to the Jaipur area. The company does a lot of work for the US Department of Defense. It is encouraging to see good work being done to use a resource - sunlight - that all of India has in abundance. Good show, India, keep it up!

Great news from New Delhi

I haven't posted here in a while, but when something like this comes up, I have to make sure to offer kudos: The move to put 2.1 MW of solar PVs over the roof of the Delhi airport is a fantastic one. It is often a fact that governments are slow to capitalize upon technological developments, while the private sector is fast. In India, in this case, at least, the reverse seems to be true. I cannot think of a single software technology park, a single mall or large apartment development that has used solar PVs even to light up common areas at night, for example. That said, it would be good to see this example replicated across India. There are many more airports in the country, many railway stations, and many government offices that would benefit. Go for it, India! And, congratulations!