November–December 2007 From the Director …bookstore.teri.res.in/docs/newsletters/TERISCOPE...

1TERISCOPE November–December 2007

From the Director-General’s desk . . .emanating from current patterns of growth and development and

the measures by which a change can be brought about including

a shift towards more sustainable lifestyles. TERRAQUIZ organized

by TERI is one such effort, but the world probably needs several

thousand TERRAQUIZ campaigns to be mounted and continued

for the next several years. Then only would we see growth and

development progressing in harmony with the preservation of

our ecosystems and the conservation of natural resources across

the planet.

Information and knowledge are critical resources for bridging

the gap between private costs and social costs as well as private

benefits and social benefits. Often, environmental damage is

caused by individuals and entities because they are not fully

aware of the impacts of their actions nor are there information

systems by which specific impacts get connected with causal

factors, and therefore environmental impacts do not get

internalized in prices and costs of specific goods and services.

Since, providing such information to every individual would

involve very heavy transactions costs, it is essential to build into

certain rules governing human behaviour do’s and don’ts that

would serve the purpose of bridging the gap between private

costs and social costs. Education of young students and children

would be an effective means for bringing about behavioural

change that ensures internalization of costs imposed on the

environment that are not paid for in the market place. Hence,

while laws and regulations have an important place in

environmental protection, ultimately human behaviour must be

an essential part of solutions in the future. I believe the founders

of every religion in the world had this in mind when they

sanctified in the form of tenets and beliefs the need for

protecting all that is to be conserved in nature’s bounty. Perhaps,

today’s preachers of religion should also teach young minds the

importance of protecting the environment.

R K Pachauri

Director-General, T E R I

ne of the major items of news in this issue of

TERISCOPE relates to the results of TERRAQUIZ 2007. This

programme, which covers the length and breadth of the country

as well as several locations overseas, promotes learning on

environmental issues among schoolchildren through a process of

testing of their knowledge. The initial phase of this competition

is called the Green Olympiad, as a sequel to which a select group

of winning schools take part in the TERRAQUIZ contest, which is

televised nationally on Doordarshan. The level of knowledge

displayed by participants in this entire programme is impressive

and in some cases truly amazing.

Worldwide, there is a major trend among schoolchildren and

the youth of every society towards greater concern and a growing

desire for an understanding on environmental issues. Perhaps,

this represents the best hope for a world that should move

towards a cleaner environment in the future and a pattern of

development, which is truly sustainable. IPCC

(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has completed its

AR4 (Fourth Assessment Report), which has had a major impact

on society in every country of the world including the leadership

of several countries. One of the means by which mitigation of

emissions of greenhouse gases, which are the main cause of

climate change globally, rests on the importance of changes in

lifestyles and human behaviour. Such changes are unlikely to

occur in the minds and actions of those who have spent years and

decades following certain patterns of living and behaviour and

have developed certain rigidities. On the other hand, young

minds and those at an impressionable age who have not yet

become victims of consumerism devoid of environmental

consciousness would be amenable to adopting a very different

set of values from what is evident across the globe. In other

words, it is the youth of this world that can not only initiate

changes in lifestyles among themselves, but can become a

powerful force influencing the behaviour of adults as well.

A major programme is, therefore, required to sensitize the

youth of this world on some of the threats and challenges

O

November–December 2007

2 TERISCOPE November–December 2007

Inside . . .1

From the Director-General’s desk . . .

3TER I news

World Energy Outlook 2007 –India Launch

•Green Olympiad and Terraquiz 2007

•Conference on input–output analysis

•Capacity building workshop to scale up

corporate response to HIV/AIDS

5Interview

Dr R K Pachauri

6Research update

E-waste management

8Report

The Solar Taxi

9Cyberscope

Promoting renewable energy options

10Product news

11TER I in the media

12Calendar of events

12Projects

TER I Governing Council

Research and Support Divisions

Energy Environment PolicyCentre for Environmental StudiesModelling and Economics Analysis

(Including GIS)Centre for Resources and the Environment,

BangaloreResource and Development EconomicsCentre for Global Environment ResearchWestern Regional Centre

Water ResourcesWater Resources Policy and Management

Energy Environment TechnologyResource Efficient Process Technology

ApplicationsRenewable Energy Technology ApplicationsBiomass Energy Technology ApplicationsIndustrial Energy (Bangalore)Industrial Energy Efficiency and

Sustainable TechnologiesCentre for Research on Sustainable

Building ScienceGRIHA (Green Rating for International

Habitat Assessment)

Technology Development

Biotechnology and Management ofBioresources Division

Centre for Mycorrhizal ResearchPlant Tissue Culture and Molecular

BiologyTERI Mukteshwar

Environmental and IndustrialBiotechnology Division

Plant BiotechnologyMicrobial BiotechnologyBioremediation Technology

Information Technology and ServicesCentre for IT Infrastructure and

NetworkingCentre for IT Applications

Regulatory Studies and GovernanceDivision

Energy Regulation and PracticeCentre for Regulatory Impact Assessment

Centre for Competition PromotionTransport and Urban Development

Action ProgrammesForestry/BiodiversityRural and Renewable Energy, BangaloreRural Extension ActivityEnvironmental Education and AwarenessNorth-Eastern Regional Centre

Sustainable Development OutreachDSDSTERI–BCSD IndiaFilm and Television UnitCommunications Group

Resources and Global SecurityCentre for Research on Energy SecurityCentre for Global Agreements, Legislation,

and TradeMinerals and MetalsScience and Technology

Director-General’s Office

HR Area

Enterprise and TechnologyDevelopment

TERI PressAccountsMaterialsRETREAT-TERI GramRETREAT-MukteshwarEco-TourismTERI Technologies

Administrative ServicesLibrary and Information Centre

TERI University

Southern Regional Centre, BangaloreTERI Mumbai

TERI WorldwideTERI North America, Washington, DC, USATERI Europe, London, UKTERI Gulf Centre, Dubai, UAE

Representation in Japan, Malaysia, and Africa

ChairmanDr A RamachandranFormer Under Secretary-General, United Nations, High Grounds, Bangalore, India

Members• Prof. B V Sreekantan

Honorary Visiting Professor, Culture, Cognition and Consciousness Unit, NationalInstitute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

• Dr (Mrs) Wakako HironakaMember, House of Councillors, Tokyo, Japan

• Mr Deepak S ParekhChairman, Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd, Mumbai, India

• Mr Ajai Vikram SinghFormer Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, New Delhi

• Dr M K BhanSecretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology,Government of India, New Delhi

• Mr Caio Koch-WeserVice Chairman, Deutsche Bank Group, Winchester House, London EC2N 2DB

• Dr R K PachauriDirector-General, TERI, New Delhi, India


World Energy Outlook 2007 – India Launch

he India launch of the World Energy Outlook2007 (WEO 2007) took place on 14November 2007 at TERI, New Delhi. The

WEO is the annual flagship publication of theInternational Energy Agency (IEA), and has been

TERI news

Ton 22 November 2007 announced the winners ofthe 9th TerraQuiz 2007, an international inter-school environment quiz competition.

Among 32 schools, both from India and abroad,Moiz Bohra and Sreelakshmy Koonath from AlKhor International School, Doha, came up as

winners and were crowned the‘Hero Honda GreenAmbassadors’ for 2007–08. Thetitle confers upon the winners aresponsibility to undertakeinitiatives to broaden andstrengthen awareness onenvironmental issues amongfellow students.

Close contenders were DelhiPublic School, Bokaro, Smt.Sulochana Devi SinghaniaSchool, Thane and Indian HighSchool, Dubai, which emergedas the first, second and thirdrunners up, respectively.

This year, the GREENOlympiad witnessed participation from AROUND75000 schoolchildren, from 1400 plus schools fromacross the country and from Indian schools in theMiddle East and South East Asia.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr R K Pachauri,Director-General, TERI, said, ‘This programme hasan enormous potential for transforming Indian societytowards greater environmental consciousness andsupport for sustainable development. It is really thechildren of today who would be the leaders oftomorrow, and in their role as the ‘Hero Honda GreenAmbassadors’, they can be major agents of change fora sustainable future.’ P

Panellists analyzing the future energy outlook

TERRAQUIZ: an international inter-school environment quizcompetition in progress

recognized as an authoritative source forprojections of global trends in energy supply anddemand, trade and investment, and carbon dioxideemissions. TERI partnered with IEA in developingand refining the energy projections for India andproviding an analysis of the future energy outlookfor the country.

The book was launched by Mr William CRamsay, Deputy Executive Director, IEA. Thelaunch was attended by more than 30 peopleincluding representatives from the Government ofIndia, embassies, multi-lateral agencies, corporatesector, research organizations, and print andelectronic media.

Presenting the highlights of WEO 2007,Mr Ramsay indicated that India is one of theemerging giants of the world economy andinternational energy markets, and a strongcommitment was needed to implement policies andto create an attractive investment environment. Itwas stressed that the next 10 years were critical forstepping up co-operation with China and India toaddress global energy challenges. P

Green Olympiad and Terraquiz 2007

ERI and Hero Honda Motors Ltd, in associationwith MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forests),


TConference on input–output analysis

he Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)and G-SEC (Global Security ResearchInstitute) of Keio University organized a

Conference on Input–Output Analysis for Indianand the World Economy on 17th December, 2007 atThe Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi,

India. Dr R K Pachauri gave the keynote addressand Dr Heizo Takenaka gave video message for theparticipants. The conference was well attended byofficials from CSO, researchers from IDF, IIASAalongwith team members of G-SEC and TERI. Thediscussions were focused on compilation issues ofI/O and its applications.

Input-output models of one or more economiesare often used to analyze alternativescenarios about the future in anintegrated and systematic way. Manyindustrial ecologists and engineers useinput–output models for life cycleassessments to evaluate not only thedirect effects but also the full, economy-wide impact of alternative technologiesthat govern the use of energy and materials.An advantage of these frameworks is theability to represent new structuralrelationships rather than only extrapolatingfrom past ones.

Discussions were focused on compilation issues of I/O and its applications

The goal of the conference was to promote andstimulate exchange of ideas among economists,engineers, government officials, and policy-makers.The focus was on input–output analyses and relatedmodels for sustainable development of the Indianand the world economy. P

Capacity building workshop toscale up corporate response toHIV/AIDS

ERI–BCSD India incollaboration with GTZorganised a ‘Capacity building

workshop to scale up corporateresponse to HIV/AIDS’ on 26November 2007 at TERI, New Delhi.There was a panel of expert facilitatorsrepresenting NACO, ILO, ConstellaFutures, GTZ, and TERI. The sessionsconsisted of an overview presented byNACO of the AIDS situation in Indiaand how corporates should respondand mainstream.

ILO provided an insight toapproaches to a workplace policy andprogramme and why businessesshould delve deep into the agenda.

Constella Futures shared experiences from Mexicoand how Indian corporates could learn from it. Theworkshop ended with a roundtable discussion,where it was decided that a rich resource base wasrequired (for example, Website) where thecompanies could gather information to plan theirprogrammes and businesses should come togetherin consortiums to take the action forward. P

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Roundtable discussion on HIV/AIDS in progress


A Nobel Prize is the highestrecognition in the world for all thework that IPCC has been doing!What does it feel like?Well, it feels very good, in the sensethat the cause that this awardacknowledges gets a further boost.There have been so many people whohave toiled and worked very hard tobring out the IPCC reports and getthem approved. All these people havegot recognized. And I feel very happybecause I have chaired that body.

How challenging has it been foryou, personally, as the chairpersonof IPCC?I have always tried to ensure thatdecisions are taken by consensus.After all the IPCC is not merely agroup of scientists and experts. It alsoinvolves governments, who approvethe reports and take all the decisions.We are talking of 192 governmentshere. Some of our plenary sessionshave had as many as 500 participants. So in a sense, it islike the UN General Assembly! And sometimes, it hasnot been all that easy. But I must say that overall, I havebeen quite fortunate and we have not had any majorproblems or disruptions in the functioning of IPCC.That, in itself, is quite heartening.

In a country like India, where the average citizenhas to struggle so much, do you think climatechange would be something he/she is willing to evenconsider?Climate change will affect our survival and the fight forfood will become more desperate. And anyone who isstruggling for food will probably have a tougher time infuture. In this country, more than half the farmers aredependent on rain-fed agriculture. With changesoccurring in the precipitation patterns, livelihoods aregoing to be adversely affected. Each one of us mustrealize the gravity of the situation and the seriousness ofthe impacts of climate change.

The IPCC 4th Assessment Report predicts alarmingrise in sea levels and increased carbon dioxideemissions in the near future. Should we despair?No, we should not despair. What we really need to do isto make sure that carbon dioxide levels, perhaps amillennium from now, are manageable. If you allowthings to go out of hands the next coming years could bedisastrous. Our reports make it clear that we needmitigation action urgently if we want to influence thecourse of events in a few decades from now. And the

stronger the action we take today, themore effective we would be in limitingthe harmful impacts in the future. Thisis why it is very important for those whoare involved in the IPCC processes toprovide a message of hope – that thoughthe situation is obviously very serious itcan surely be salvaged. I firmly believethat human society has the capacity andthe technological capability to surmountthis crisis.

USA did not ratify the KyotoProtocol. Do you think it is veryimportant for the US to lead theway in terms of policyimplementation and action?I think leadership is going to beabsolutely critical. And the US, beingthe largest and strongest country inthe world, must certainly lead the way.Even if it does not lead the way itshould certainly not be seen as alaggard. Thus action from the US isparticularly important. And I hope

that it will be in evidence very soon.

Do you think corporate action actually makes adifference?My feeling is that people see through these gimmicksreasonably well. You can fool them up to a certain point,but sooner or later they do realize that this company isnot really serious about what it is professing. This couldpose a risk to the reputation of the company. I do notthink you need a law or mandate or any set of regulationsby which you force companies to do something abouttheir CSR.

Could nuclear energy be the answer to our carbonemission problems, in spite of the radioactivewaste, the non-degradability of the residue, andother risks involved?I think, in this country, you need a range of solutions. Nosingle solution will work, as we are a very diverse society,a society where the very primitive co-exists with thehighly modern. Therefore, one cannot do away with cow-dung as a fuel. At the same time, nuclear energy holdsgreat potential. If you look at the whole spectrum ofIndian society including our economic activities there is ajustification for using all forms of fuels.

I personally think we will see a combination of avariety of fuels coming into use. But what I would like tosee is a much greater shift towards renewable sources ofenergy. The government exists to not only providesubstantial funding, but also to ensure that our researchis goal-oriented and not open-ended. P

InterviewDr R K Pachauri, chairperson of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change),

which has just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with former Vice President of the USA – Al Gore,speaks on the climate change crisis.

Climate changewill affect our

survival and thefight for food

will become moredesperate...

‘’


-waste is one of the fastest growing wastestreams around the world today, fuelled bythe exponential growth of electronic

equipments, especially personal computers andtheir rapid rate obsolescence. Present estimateshows that, more than 1.38 million PCs are alreadyobsolete in India in both business sector as well asindividual households; and this number will onlykeep multiplying in future. More than 1,000 tonnesof electronic scrap is being produced by themanufacturers and assemblers in a single calendaryear. The minimum number of computers procuredby an average scale scrap dealer is 20–25 per monthand there are more than 40 scrap dealers dealing inelectronic wastes in Delhi alone. The obsolescencerate of computers in software companies and theBPO sector is as high as 30%.

In India, E-wastes recycling is done mainly inunorganized sector. It is a small but rapidly growingindustry, emerging as a threat to the environmentand health. The E-wastes generally end up withgullible recyclers mushrooming in huge numbers inmega cities like Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

The project on ‘Creation of optimum knowledgebank for efficient E-waste management in India’, issupported by the European commission under theAsia Pro Eco Programme and is jointly implementedby TERI, The Institute of Waste Management andContaminated Site Treatment – DUT (DresdenUniversity of Technology) Germany; Department ofEnvironmental Engineering - TUC (TechnicalUniversity of Crete) Greece.

The objective of this project is to strengthen linksbetween various stakeholders in E-wastes industryin European and Asian countries – Localorganizations of trade and industry, recyclers,assemblers, and vendors of E-waste, Governmentand NGOs for adoption of cleaner technologiesalong with best practices.

The project addresses the issue of growingproblem of E-waste and its disposal throughcombination of actions such as assessment of thegeneration and management status in two cities ofIndia – Delhi and Bangalore, identification of bestpractices to improve resource recovery, facilitationof transfer of best practices and environmentallysustainable technology for upgradation in recyclingand disposal of E-waste in India. Awarenessgeneration and capacity building of the various

stakeholders is one of the important actions of theproject to promote better practices and technologyin order to reduce the impact on the environmentand to increase the safety of workers.

The assessment of the current status involvedidentification of the E-waste network, the tradeeconomics and the environmental impact. Thepresent study indicates generation of more than6000 tonnes of E-waste from obsolete PCs in NCRof Delhi by 2010. The E-waste network involves,importers, manufacturers, assemblers, users,dismantlers, and recyclers. Although it iseconomically attractive for each of the groupinvolved in the recycling and recovery, theenvironmental conditions under which the activitiesof disassembling and recycling occur is harmful tothe workers and also results in deterioration of thesurrounding environment as indicated by thecontamination of soil, groundwater, and air quality.

Research update

EE-waste management

Impact of recycling on surrounding environment

Precious metals like gold and other metals likecopper and aluminium and a few other mechanicalcomponents interest the small-scale recyclers. Whatthey are unaware of is that the crude and unrefinedworking conditions; Toxics present in the wastespose serious health problems not only to theworkers engaged in the separation but also to thelocal community living around. Workers manuallyhandle the computer internal parts duringdismantling of E-wastes that carry pollutants likemercury, lead deposits, and other carcinogenicmaterials. These recycling units continue tofunction in poor environment due to issues such as


unemployment andpoverty. Disposal ofwaste materialwithout adequatetreatment poseshealth hazards,affecting humanbeings, soil and theeco-system.

There is very little technical knowledge amongthe Indian traders and recyclers engaged inmaterial salvaging. Therefore, there is an urgentneed for environmentally benign and simpletechnology for recycling of these wastes. Also, thereis a need to create awareness among entrepreneurs

and workers of E-waste recycling units.

Some of theproblems which wereencountered duringthe study include thenon availability ofinventory of wastegenerated with thegovernmentorganizations and localpollution controlboard, difficulty inapproaching theinformal recyclingsectors as they are notauthorized and gettingthe response from theworkers, creating the

awareness among the workers about theenvironmental and health impacts, etc.

Through series of interactions with variousstakeholders including manufacturers, governmentand NGOs, recyclers, research institutions andcapacity building workshops, attempt has beenmade to initiate the sensitisation of participants tothe technological and social benefits of adoptingbest practices ensuring efficient E-waste disposaland management. The workshops provided theplatform to various stakeholders to share theirresearch and views on E-waste management.

During the workshop, various topics related to E-waste management and recycling was deliberatedupon. This includedP Need and status on E-waste managementP Environmental and health impacts

Segregation of useful materialsfrom E-waste

P Legislation and EPR initiativesP Recycling and resource recovery

The project is expected to create an impact onthe various stakeholders, particularly governmentagencies and recyclers. It is expected that theaction would provide the small scale recyclersdealing with recycling trade with improvedtechnological options and provide support to thepolicy makers in improving E-waste management.It would facilitate the development of an actionplan on E-waste management focusing on recyclingin consultation with European partners andinternational experts. The overall improvement ofthe awareness amongst the target groups to theharmful environmental impacts of improper E-waste management and upgradation of the skillsand capacity of target groups will be one of themost important outcome.

Manual handling of E-wastefor metal extraction

Creation of optimum knowledge bank forefficient E-waste management in India(Sponsored by European Commission under Asia

Pro Eco Programme)

Partners: Dresden University of Technology, Germanyand Technical University of Crete, Greece

The overall objective of the 1 year project is to encourage

and strengthen the links between European and Indian

NGOs, research and local organisations in improving the

E-waste management, and to expand the role and

contribution of unorganised recycling units in India

promoting at the same time sustainable environmental

protection system. The aim of this project is to encour-

age recyclers, assemblers, and vendors of E-waste to

adopt environmentally sustainable, cleaner and, suitable

technology and best practices for handling and manage-

ment of these wastes. The project deals with review of

existing status of E-waste management in Delhi and

Bangalore, assessment of the resource potential, and

management with focus on recycling. The project would

focus on the target groups of recyclers, IT equipment

suppliers, assemblers, IT industries, government, and

environment bodies to transfer know-how and best

practices from EU countries, disseminate and build the

capacity of the stakeholders. The project also includes

stakeholder workshops at Delhi and Bangalore for

creating awareness and information exchange between

Indian and European organizations.


Report

he Solartaxibegan itsjourney in

Lucerne, Switzerlandin July 2007 and hopesto be back there in 15months, after havingtravelled 50,000 km,through 50 countries,and all 5 continents.The dream of theSolartaxi began, as alot of greataccomplishments do,as a childhood dream.A 14-year-old LouisPalmer wanted totravel across the world in a car that wouldn’tdestroy the earth. After 20 years, that dreamresulted in the Solartaxi.

A schoolteacher by profession and a traveller bychoice, Palmer has travelled extensively around theworld. Having travelled around Africa on a bike in1994, created a world record by travelling with thesmallest aircraft across South America in 1998, andhaving been a tour observer at the World SolarChallenge in Australia in 1999, he is now onanother record making journey – the first eversolar-powered trip around the world.

His vehicle is a ‘taxi’ because everyone whofancies a ride gets a ride. From the Maharana ofUdaipur to school children in Delhi, from humanrights activist Bianca Jagger to Swiss PresidentMichéline Calmy-Rey, the passenger list of theSolar Taxi is as varied and fascinating as the journeyitself!

The TechnologyThe Solartaxi is an energy neutral car. It is anelectric vehicle with a five-meter solar trailercovered with 6 square meters of solar cells. Theelectricity is stored in a newly invented Zebrabattery, to enable driving even at night. The solarcells on the trailer produce enough electricity torun the car for up to 100 km a day. To be able todrive more than 100 km a day, the battery will haveto be charged with additional power. For thispurpose, they have a solar power plant on a rooftop

in Berne, Switzerland.The electricitygenerated there is fedinto the grid,offsetting electricitygenerated by usingfossil fuels. It’s likepaying money into abank account andwithdrawing itsomewhere else: solarelectricity is fed intothe grid and chargedinto the batteryanywhere in theworld, from the grid.‘If all cars in the

world were powered this way’, says Palmer, ‘carswouldn’t cause global warming!’

The Solartaxi demonstrates how it is possible toproduce enough electricity with a mere 9 squaremeters of solar cells on a rooftop to drive 15 000km a year, without producing any CO2 emissionsat all!

Its makers claim that it stands for a new way ofmobility in cities, filling a niche between a car and amotorcycle. The car is powered by Zebra Batteries,which are high-energy batteries made fromcommon salt, ceramics and nickel. They generatefour times more energy than a normal lead acidbattery of the same weight. Apart from being fullyrecyclable, this battery can be charged about 1 000times. This is equivalent to the Solartaxi covering adistance of 200,000 - 400,000 km. In contrast tothe nickel-cadmium battery, the Zebra batteryworks with a memory effect, which means it’s notnecessary to discharge the battery fully. To keep theelectrolyte salt liquid, the battery requires aworking temperature between 270° and 350 °C.Due to a vacuum-isolation, exactly like what is usedin a thermos, the temperature seems to be only 5 to10 degrees higher than the environmentaltemperature. The heat loss amounts to merely 40Watts. The battery is a maintenance-free, has alonger than usual life, and is a very reliable device.This makes it particularly suitable for mobileapplication like in cars and buses. P

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The Solar Taxi


ERI and ADB (Asian Development Bank)launched the ADB–TERI Asia PacificRenewable Energy Knowledge Hub, a web

portal, on December 10 2007. The portal aims toprovide knowledge and information on renewableenergy and to provide a web-based knowledge-sharing environment for interaction and exchangeof ideas. The launch was part of a side event titled‘Asian Knowledge Mart on Clean Energy andClimate Change’ during the United NationsClimate Change Conference (COP 13) at Bali,Indonesia.

The lucid, informative ‘home’ page is designedsuch that the user’s eye is immediately directed tothe applications of renewable energy, which is themainstay of the website. This includes links tosections on ‘distributed power generation’,‘decentralized energy supply’, ‘grid connectedpower generation’, and ‘transportation’.

The ‘home’ page also includes updates – thelatest case studies on renewable technologies; news– a catalogue of links to renewable energy-relatednews from the print as well as electronic media; andevents – a ready reckoner for key forthcomingevents in the energy sector from across the world.Both the news and events section are supported byan RSS (rich site summary) feed, assuring alerts tolatest additions on the page. The various shortcutson the ‘home’ page make it easier for the user toaccess these features.

The section on ‘distributed power generation’further contains information on the integrated orstand-alone use of renewable energy technologiesfor generating electricity close to the point ofconsumption. A vertical frame on the right-handside of the page details off-grid power generationoptions based on different renewable energyresources and technologies. Solar, wind, biomassand biogas, liquid biofuels, small hydros, hydrogen,and fuel cells are just some of the technologies dealtwith.

As users delve deeper into a section, they are ledto other repositories of information. To cite anexample, the section on solar power containsseparate links to case studies and information onpolicy and technology related to solar power. Userscan navigate to the ‘policy’ section for more

Cyberscope

Promoting renewable energy optionshttp://www.aprekh.org/

exhaustive information on policy briefs, policies fordevelopment of renewable energy in India, ruralelectrification policy, and Indian renewable energypolicies. The ‘technology’ web page providescomprehensive updates on solar power. Not onlythis, it contains hyperlinks within the site to pageson solar thermal, solar PV, and solar passivetechnologies and external links to authenticwebsites on the related subject.

The other sections on ‘decentralized energysupply’, ‘grid connected power generation’, and‘transportation’ follow a similar format. In case thethought of sieving through information seems toodaunting, the intuitive portal makes allowance forthat too—a ‘search’ option has been provided forquick and convenient access to relevantinformation.

The ‘knowledge bank’ provides resources such asrelevant statistics; case studies; best practices;articles, papers, and documents; standards;directories of experts, suppliers, manufacturers, andorganizations; policies; and important website linksrelevant to the Asia Pacific region.

An open source portal, the Renewable EnergyKnowledge Hub, allows easy sharing of knowledge;all one has to do is log in and start contributing.Thus, the portal not only allows users to seamlesslynavigate within the site and beyond for anencyclopaedic knowledge on alternative sourcesenergy, it is a platform for a meeting of minds todiscuss energy solutions for tomorrow. P

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he MoU (Memorandum of Understanding)signed with the GoU (Government ofUttarakhand), TERI has undertaken a

number of sustainable development initiatives inthe region. One such initiative has been theestablishment of TRISHA (TERI’s ResearchInitiative at Supi for Himalayan Advancement).TRISHA is set up at Supi which is at a height of7100 feet in the district of Nainital. Sinceagriculture is the main occupation, research andextension have been largely undertaken to improvequality and quantity of agricultural produce.

Keeping the above in mind, a herbal garden hasbeen established at Supi farm to assess thesuitability of various culinary, medicinal, andaromatic plants under local conditions therebyinfusing confidence among the local farmers toundertake cultivation on commercial basis usingbiofertilizers. The saplings and culture of variousspecies of herbs from the herbal garden are beingprovided to the farmers. The produce of herbagefrom such farms results in additional source ofrevenue for the local farmers.

The agro climatic conditions of Uttarakhand arewell suited for cultivation of most of the said herbs.Water requirement for cultivation of these herbs isvery low leading to luxuriant growth even in dry

seasons. The minimal water requirement for theherbs is met through rain-water harvesting scheme.TERI is actively working on establishing backwardas well as forward linkages for these herbs at Supi.Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano andPeppermint are some of the herbs that are currentlybeing grown at Supi. TERI provides support tofarmers not only in procuring the initial plantingmaterial but also in the form of information relatedto best farm practices in growing these herbs andarranges for capacity building among these farmers.These initiatives are aimed towards helping thelocal farmers/growers in diversification ofagricultural crops and to develop village basedmicro enterprises capability for improving theireconomic conditions.

Product news

Culinary Herbs

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List of various Culinary Herbs

Sl. Type Price / kg

1 Oregano 6002 Parsley 6003 Thyme 6004 Rosemary 6005 Peppermint 600


Time to switch on CFLs bulbsCommonly-used conventional lighting appliances(incandescent lamps) consume a lot of power, whereascontemporary lighting products like CFL (compactfluorescent lamps), T5 tube lights, LEDs, etc., are energyefficient, thus resulting in a significant drop in yourelectricity bill amount.

Elaborating on the advantages of CFL, SaurabhGupta, research associate of regulatory studies andgovernance division at TERI (The Energy and ResourcesInstitute), says, ‘One can save up to 8.21 units per monthby replacing an incandescent lamp with CFL. In valueterms, one can save up to Rs 25.8 per month (as pertariffs in Delhi) in the monthly bill. CFLs have a lowerwattage rating compared to incandescent lamps of thesame luminous flux, use less energy and have a longerrated life.’ While the regular lamps last for 1000 hours,the lifespan of CFLs could extend from 6000 to 8000hours.

By all indications, awareness among people about thepluses of opting for CFLs and other energy-savinglighting devices is rising. This is evident from the factthat the market for CFLs has been expandingexponentially over the last couple of years. A surveyconducted by TERI on households in Delhi found that ahigh level of awareness exists among the respondentsabout efficiency options in lighting.

The Economic Times (Online), 3 December 2007

Namibia: ‘we need to escape poverty’More than 11000 people gathered for the 13thConference of the 192 parties to the UNFCCC and thethird meeting of the 176 parties to the Kyoto Protocol -making it the largest UN climate meeting ever held.

Konjore, Namibia’s Representative at the UnitedNations, Dr Kaire Mbuende, Director of EnvironmentalAffairs at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism,Theo Nghitila, and several senior Government officialsare representing Namibia.

Meanwhile, UN Under-Secretary General andExecutive Secretary of the Economic Commission forAfrica (ECA), Abdoulie Janneh, said that ECA wouldcollaborate with Nobel Prize winner, Dr RajendraPachauri, and his organisation, the Energy and ResourcesInstitute (TERI) of New Delhi, India, to establish anAfrican centre for climate policy studies.

‘The collaboration with TERI would help develop thecapacity of African countries that are more impacted byclimate change, but who are unable to cope with theimpact because of the high level of poverty, reliance onrain-fed agriculture and other climate-sensitive sectorssuch as fisheries, forests and tourism,’ he explained.

Janneh told delegates at the conference that the centrewould provide African countries with analytical work andcapacity for mainstreaming climate-related concerns inthe frameworks of their development policies, strategiesand plans.

All Africa, 14 December 2007

TERI in the media‘Low-carbon society will be future’Environmentalist R K Pachauri, who heads the NobelPrize-winning IPCC (Inter-Governmental Panel onClimate Change), has asked the Indian industry toaccept the fact that the world was heading for a low-carbon future and bring about a transition. ‘The future isgoing to be a low-carbon society and those who acceptthe fact are going to be winners and those who don’t aregoing to be left behind,’ he said at a felicitation functionhere on Saturday.

‘The Indian industry will be at the vanguard of thischange,’ said Mr Pachauri, who had just returned afterreceiving the Nobel Prize on behalf of the IPCC. ‘Indiaat the moment has no commitments, but it is only amatter of time. We have to ensure a path of developmentthat is sustainable and industry has to take a lead in this,’he said, adding there was a need to bring about atechnology revolution in India in the sectors of transport,power and building.

Mr. Pachauri invited CII (Confederation of IndianIndustry) to join hands with TERI (The Energy andResources Institute) to organise an event on how Indiacan have a more low-carbon future. Commenting on howclimate change was affecting agricultural production, hesaid it was a main contributor towards reducingagricultural output. India needed to make judicious useof water, electricity and build more rural infrastructure,he said.

SouthAsianJournal; 16 Dec 2007

New rating for ‘green’ buildings developedA memorandum of understanding was signed betweenthe Union new and renewable energy ministry and TERI(The Energy and Resources Institute) on national ratingsystem for green buildings. A national rating system,GRIHA, has been developed, which is suitable for alltypes of buildings in different climatic zones of thecountry. Union renewable energy resources secretary V.Subramanian suggested points to make GRIHA popular.He suggested to develop a syllabus to be accommodatedin all engineering courses and all municipal corporationsin the country should give tax break on propertiesdeveloped on GRIHA. Through various qualitative andquantitative assessment criteria, GRIHA would be ableto “rate” a building on the degree of its “greenness”. Therating would be applied to different types of new andexisting buildings, whether commercial, institutional orresidential. A NAC (National Advisory Council) andTAC (Technical Advisory Committee) will be constitutedin the ministry to provide advice, direction, modification,and constant upgradation of GRIHA framework. ThisIndia-specific rating system would facilitate designconstruction, operation, and evaluation of environmentfriendly buildings.

Union new and renewable energy minister VilasMuttemwar said the government aimed to reduce theconsumption of conventional power and to supplementenergy supply through renewable energy, particularly inurban areas.

The Asian Age, 5 November 2007


Calendar of events

ProjectsInitiated

Research for Energy Conservation in India:Phase 1Institute of Energy Economics

Design and development of a filter press unit,gasifier and feasibility of using coir pith forabsorption and recovery of oil fromcontaminated sitesCoir Board

GOF Climate Change and Energy Programme:design of renewable energy credit system forIndiaBritish High Commission

The Impact of Doha Round on IndianHorticultureSouth Asian Network for Economic ResearchInstitutions

TERISCOPE provides news and announcements regarding TER I’s activities.For further information on the programmes or articles in this newsletter, please contact

The Editor, TERISCOPET E R IDarbari Seth BlockIHC Complex, Lodhi RoadNew Delhi – / India

Tel. or

Fax or

India + • Delhi ()

Email [email protected] www.teriin.org

Completed

Preparation of National Plan of Action forpreventing pollution of Coastal Waters fromland based activitiesMinistry of Environment and Forests

National Strategy on Climate Change in IndiaMinistry of Environment and Forests

World Energy Outlook 2007Organization for Economic Co-operation andDevelopment

Population assessment of sparrow in DelhiWorld Wide Fund for Nature

Workshop on Building DigitalArchive using Advanced Featuresof GSDL

Second India-Japan EnergyForum: promoting energyefficiency in industry

Youth Dialogue on ClimateChange

Workshop on AgriculturalBiotechnology: a hands-ontraining in advanced tissueculture and molecular biologytechniques

Social challenges of globalchange: IHDP open meeting2008

Event8–10 January2008

4–5 February2008

6 February 2008

18–23 February2008

16–19 October2008

Date—

NEDO (New Energy andIndustrial TechnologyDevelopment Organization)

Canadian HighCommission, New Delhi

—

IHDP (InternationalHuman DimensionsProgramme)

SponsorsNew Delhi

New Delhi

New Delhi

New Delhi

New Delhi

VenueDL WorkshopSecretariat

Shashank Jain([email protected])

Swati Kwatra([email protected])

Dr Abha Agnihotri([email protected])

Sanjay Vashist([email protected])

Coordinator

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