With the growing demand of handmade paper both in the domestic and export markets, the Indian handmade paper industry has been confronting with the major issue of scarce availability and cost prohibitiveness of the cotton hosiery waste, the traditionally used principal raw material for making handmade paper.

Sugar mills have doubled up as power generators and produce 2,000 megawatt of biomass-based energy through cogeneration, says this latest report in Down To Earth. It recommends a strong policy-framework to sustain cogeneration, which is critical for India

Arnab Pratim Dutta Sugar mills have doubled up as power generators, with help from sound policies. But profits are falling now. Can states find a way to sustain cogeneration? Deoband, western Uttar Pradesh. The fourth floor of a building in a sugar factory complex, buzzing with activity. A contraption in the middle of a room humming loudly like an aircraft engine. A man jotting down

Industry contributes directly and indirectly (through consumed electricity) about 37% of the global greenhouse gas emissions, of which over 80% is from energy use. Total energy-related emissions, which were 9.9 GtCO2 in 2004, have grown by 65% since 1971. Even so, industry has almost continuously improved its energy efficiency over the past decades.