Australian scientists have found a way of hugely increasing the efficiency of solar panels while substantially reducing their cost. The University of NSW researchers have come up with improvements in photovoltaic panel design that had not been expected for another decade. The breakthrough involves using hydrogen atoms to counter defects in silicon cells used in solar panels. As a consequence, poor quality s ...

China lacks government support for desalination programs needed for the country's water security, according to Li Linmei, director of the State Oceanic Administration's Institute of Seawater Desalination and Multipurpose Utilization in Tianjin. "The lack of an effective pricing mechanism for desalinated water and support for an operable policy is affecting the development of the country's sea desalination i ...

State-run power major NTPC said it expects to start production at its six coal blocks by 2017, which will help it secure an additional 40 million tonne of captive coal. The six coal blocks include Pakri Barwadih, Chatti-Bariatu, Kerandari, and Chatti-Bariatu (South) in Jharkhand; Tallaipali in Andhra and Dulanga in Odisha. "One of the mines in Jharkhand is expected to start production this year. We expect t ...

World's fifth largest wind turbine- maker Suzlon Energy is planning to raise up to USD 400 million by selling 15 of its non-core assets in a bid to partly retire the huge debt pile of nearly Rs 14,600 crore, a top company official has said. Earlier, the company was planning to raise USD 100 million. "We have identified 15 non-core assets, mostly in overseas markets like China, US, etc, which we plan to sell ...

Green Earth Power (Thailand) or GEP is seeking partners for joint development of its 210 MW solar power plant in Myanmar, the third largest of its kind in the world and costing nearly 9 billion baht. The company also plans to mobilise funds from the Stock Exchange of Thailand for a bigger Myanmar plant with a capacity of 300 MW and projects in other Asean countries including Thailand. Managing director Supa ...

Apex electricity regulator the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) on Thursday asked Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO), a subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation Limited, to file a detailed report within the next fortnight regarding the grid failure last July that left 20 states in darkness for hours and affected the lives of over 60 crore Indians. Last July’s grid collapse led to total ...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has made a $30m equity investment in NSL Renewable Power to help it develop a 75MW wind farm and other clean-energy projects in India. NSL Renewable, a unit of conglomerate NSL Group, will use the funds to develop the 75MW Chilarewadi wind farm near the city of Pune, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is also planning a 100MW hydropower project in the northern state of H ...

General Electric's Power Conversion business will deliver its variable speed drive technology for a 1,000 MW pumped storage hydropower plant in India owned by Tehri Hydro Development Corp. India Ltd. Alstom picked GE to provide the Voltage Source Drive technology for all of the plant's variable-speed motor and generator sets of the pump turbines, which will enable continuous control of the plant's pump outp ...

After the Indian side stopped the operation of West Gandak Canal, electricity production from the Gandak Hydropower Centre of Suryapura in Nawalparasi district has come to a halt. As per the Gandak Agreement, the water supply in the West Gandak Canal is stopped only for two months (March 25- April 25, and Oct 30-Nov 30) in a year. But, the Indian side has obstructed water supply to the canal till date, affl ...

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) is extending a total of P439.64 million worth of grants to the Philippine government for the setup of mini-hydropower plants in the provinces of Ifugao and Isabela. “Harnessing hydropower potentials in the countryside will help the government in its strategy of intensifying the development and use of renewable and environment-friendly alternative-energy reso ...