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Sun-Assisted Desalination
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Saturday, December 19, 2009
Sun-Assisted Desalination
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Are Biofuels carbon neutral?
I always wondered how can biofuels be carbon neutral while they emit CO2 just like non-renewable sources when they are burnt. I finally found an answer when reading a book on renewable energy today.
The concept is that biofuels come from biomass or plants which grow by accumulating resources from soil, CO2 from the atmosphere and sunlight from the sun. So what ever the quantity of CO2 emitted by burning biomass is just the CO2 that it has accumulated during its life time. Hence, by replanting the crops or trees at the same time when they are being burnt, we are just balancing the intake and emission. Thus Biofuels are cabon neutral = a green renewable resource.
The concept is that biofuels come from biomass or plants which grow by accumulating resources from soil, CO2 from the atmosphere and sunlight from the sun. So what ever the quantity of CO2 emitted by burning biomass is just the CO2 that it has accumulated during its life time. Hence, by replanting the crops or trees at the same time when they are being burnt, we are just balancing the intake and emission. Thus Biofuels are cabon neutral = a green renewable resource.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
An Amazing feat!
Riding Solo to the Top of the World.
hatsoff to Gaurav Jani for his sheer determination and will to embark on such an adventure.
hatsoff to Gaurav Jani for his sheer determination and will to embark on such an adventure.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
UNEP report claims green investments 'are a legal responsibility'
courtesy: IWA
Green investments are no longer just a luxury, but are now a legal responsibility, according to a new report by theUnited Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and a powerful group of asset managers who control some $2 trillion in assets.
The 120-page publication argues that if investment consultants and others do not incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into their services, they face ‘a very real risk that they will be sued for negligence’.
It also stressed the central role that the world’s largest institutional investors – including pensions funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds and mutual funds – have in easing the transition to a low-carbon and resource-efficient green economy.
UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said: ‘ESG issues are not peripheral but should be part of mainstream investment decisions-making processes across the industry.’
He also noted that creative market mechanisms and other incentives can help to ensure that as investors return to markets after the current financial turmoil ends, they will put their funds into a greener economy and not the ‘brown economy of yesterday’.
The new report, titled ‘Fiduciary responsibility: legal and practical aspects of integrating environmental, social and governance issues into institutional investment’, was produced by the Asset Management Working Group of the UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), a partnership between the agency and nearly 200 financial institutions around the world.
Lis Stedman
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Australia town bans bottled water
Campaigners say Bundanoon, in New South Wales, may be the first community in the world to have such a ban.
They say huge amounts of resources are used to extract, package and transport bottled water.
The discarded plastic bottles then end up as litter or go into landfill sites, the "Bundy on Tap" campaign says.
More than 350 residents turned out to vote at the public meeting in the town hall.
Only one resident voted against the ban, along with a representative from the bottled water industry, ABC news reported.
The BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney says locals have promised not to set upon visitors if they ignore the ban, but they will be encouraged to fill a reusable container from water fountains in the main street.
The reusable bottles will bear the slogan "Bundy on Tap".
Campaigner John Dee said local opinion had been incensed when a drinks company announced plans to tap an underground reservoir in the town.
Environmental impact
"The company has been looking to extract water locally, bottle it in Sydney and bring it back here to sell it," he said.
"It made people look at the environmental impact of bottled water and the community has been quite vocal about it."
The ban has been supported by shopkeepers in the town, which has a population of about 2,500.
"We believe Bundanoon is the world's first town that has got its retailers to ban bottled water," said Mr Dee. "We haven't found it anywhere else."
New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees has backed the cause, ordering government departments to stop buying bottled water and use tap water instead.
Mr Rees says it will save taxpayers money and help the environment.
courtesy: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8141569.stm
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Good time to start harnessing power from solar
Year by year mercury in India is rising and it seems as if there is no way it is going to reverse in coming years. Rivers are drying up with delayed monsoons and increasing temperatures thus putting stress on hydroelectricity. The only way to take advantage of this soaring temperature is to plan for large scale or house hold level solar based power harnessing and thus mitigating the power scarcity or crisis as mentioned below.
India heat wave sparks protests
Protests are growing in Delhi over power cuts as the Indian capital remains in the grip of a heat wave.
The government of the northern state of Punjab has announced that its offices will shut early as it also attempts to deal with a similar power crisis.
In Delhi, police have been called to break up demonstrations outside the offices of electricity companies.
Hundreds of people turned up at the house of a state minister demanding a solution to the problem.
As residents wait for this year's delayed monsoon, it is getting hotter and hotter and the disruptions to power supplies are getting bigger and bigger.
'Grim'
Most of the residents at the protests are without power for between six to 10 hours a day.
With temperatures in the mid-40s, there is an increasing demand for electricity as everyone tries to cool down.
The system here is unable to cope.
Some people are now sleeping in their air-conditioned cars.
The Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, has described the situation as grim.
This city will host the Commonwealth Games next year and some say the current crisis shows that it is not ready.
The chief minister has dismissed those fears, saying two power plants are being constructed for the games.
This year's delayed monsoon is slowly moving across India. The people of Delhi are praying it gets here soon.
courtesy: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8123012.stm
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Interesting stats on bottled water industry in India
As India lacks an efficient and safe potable water supply, its urban population is increasingly depending on bottled water to quench their thirst. Bottled water is going to be a huge and crucial industry in the future. For those of you who are interested in venturing into this industry, these are some interesting stats to know as a start.
http://www.rediff.com/business/report/2009/jun/12/bottled-water-plants-consume-7-point-03-mn-cubic-m-of-water.htm
http://www.rediff.com/business/report/2009/jun/12/bottled-water-plants-consume-7-point-03-mn-cubic-m-of-water.htm
Over seven million cubic m of water is consumed by 1,952 licenced mineral and packaged drinking water plants in the country annually.
According to figures available with the Central Ground Water Board, while 1,940 licences have been issued in the country for packaged drinking water, only 12 of them have been issued for bottling of mineral water.
Andhra Pradesh -- with 471 licences to manufacture packaged drinking water -- leads the tally, according to the Bureau of Indian Standards.
Himachal Pradesh, famous for its natural springs, has eight licences for bottling mineral water. Incidentally, it has the least number of packaged drinking water licences -- seven -- in the country.
Tamil Nadu comes second with 447, followed by Gujarat with 179 licences. Gujarat also has one mineral water bottling licence.
According to data collected by the Central Ground Water Board from state governments, the quantum of ground water used by the plants is around 7.03 million cubic m per annum.
Water cess is levied and collected by state pollution control boards for prevention and control of water pollution.
Differential rates of cess are collected depending upon the use of
water.courtesy: http://www.rediff.com/
Singapore water makes global waves!
.....Continuation to the previous post
A BBC article on Singapore's water story.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7371463.stm
A BBC article on Singapore's water story.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7371463.stm
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Singapore International Water Week 2009
SIWW is an annual international event hosted by singapore and attracts delegates, companies and organisations from all over the world. With its innovative and effective urban water management capability, Singapore was able to turn what was once its crisis into competence.
Through this event Singapore aims to realise its goal of becoming a global waterhub.
When: June 22 -26, 2009
Where: Suntec Singapore, International Exhibition and convention center
Go to the website for more details.
http://www.siww.com.sg/
Through this event Singapore aims to realise its goal of becoming a global waterhub.
When: June 22 -26, 2009
Where: Suntec Singapore, International Exhibition and convention center
Go to the website for more details.
http://www.siww.com.sg/
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Is electric car a sustainable solution?
The quest for green cars has led to the idea of electric cars. Everyone is betting big on it as the direct carbon emissions from the electric car is zero. But, when it is seen from a whole system point of view it doesn’t seem to be greener solution than the fossil fuel based cars.
An all-electric car runs on batteries charged at one of the power outlets which source from conventional power generation plants. Major portion of the power generated in the world comes from coal based thermal power plants or other fossil fuel based generators, which are the biggest greenhouse gas producers. Also, a centralized power generation is an inefficient system with losses accounting to around 75% during generation and transmission (as shown in figure below). In a fossil fuel based car, energy is utilized where it is produced and more efficient than centralized power generation. Thus, indirectly an all-electric car is a greater green-house gas producer than a conventional car running on fossil fuel. Global warming is a global phenomenon rather than local. Though we will be able to shift the pollution to the outskirts or away from the urban areas, it is going to become worse globally and will hit back as climate change. We are able to minimize the effect at one part but we are aggravating it at another.
An all-electric car runs on batteries charged at one of the power outlets which source from conventional power generation plants. Major portion of the power generated in the world comes from coal based thermal power plants or other fossil fuel based generators, which are the biggest greenhouse gas producers. Also, a centralized power generation is an inefficient system with losses accounting to around 75% during generation and transmission (as shown in figure below). In a fossil fuel based car, energy is utilized where it is produced and more efficient than centralized power generation. Thus, indirectly an all-electric car is a greater green-house gas producer than a conventional car running on fossil fuel. Global warming is a global phenomenon rather than local. Though we will be able to shift the pollution to the outskirts or away from the urban areas, it is going to become worse globally and will hit back as climate change. We are able to minimize the effect at one part but we are aggravating it at another.
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Source: http://www.cfcl.com.au/Assets/Images/Energy-Distribution(72dpi).jpg
Also, batteries used in these cars are derived from lithium ion and have very short life. More batteries mean more generation of waste, and more usage of resources. What we are lacking when creating a new product is - looking through the whole system. There is need for estimation of its whole life cycle right from where all its resources come from and where it will end up at the end of its life.
Unless, most of the power is derived from renewable sources I don’t think an electric car is a sustainable solution.
More sources for your light reading:
http://www.dieselnet.com/news/2006/04cnw.php
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/business/global/02electric.html?_r=1
http://economistonline.blogspot.com/2009/04/chinas-electric-car-ambition.html
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/427272/1/.html
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