Experts and environmentalists on Sunday called upon the people to tap solar energy to tide over the power crisis.

Participating in a seminar on “Investment in Solar Business & Development of Solar Projects” here, P. Kumar, who had commissioned two units of 1 MWp Solar PV project in Tamil Nadu, said that both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry should tap solar energy. Though the U.S. and European countries made a foray into solar energy about 20 years ago, India couldn’t make much progress owing to lack of awareness and huge cost involved . However, the country had been making significant improvement in the recent years, thanks to government policy.

If things go as planned, the Coimbatore Corporation may ask households in the city to compulsorily go in for solar water heaters.

The civic body was asked to do so at a meeting the Union Government's Ministry of Urban Development conducted in association with the State Government in Chennai recently. According to sources, the Corporation, like other urban local bodies (Municipal Corporations and Municipalities) had been asked to make it mandatory for residents in its jurisdictions to install solar water heaters. But this comes with a caveat – that this is applicable only for those households with over 1,500 sq.ft.

Gondal based company Hiramrut Energies Private Limited (HEPL) is setting up its second solar water heater manufacturing unit near Bavla. Under its solar water heater manufacturing arm, Sunray, HEPL is initially investing around Rs 35 crore, with a total investment of Rs 200 crore planned in next 3-4 years.

"We are setting up our next unit at Vasla village near Bavla taluka of Ahmedabad district. We have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat Government in the recent Vibrant Summit 2011 for an investment of around Rs 250 crore," said Bhavesh Dholaria, managing director of Hiramrut Energies Privet Limited.

Project at Poojappura penal complex set up at a cost of Rs.7.9 crore

Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will inaugurate a solar-energy project and a new restroom for visitors at the Central Jail, Poojappura, here on Wednesday. A press release issued on Tuesday said the solar energy scheme would make the department the first one in the country to depend entirely on this clean and renewable source of energy.

The state government has worked out a permanent mechanism to save energy through conservation measures. All key government departments like energy, municipal administration and urban development, agriculture and co-operation, industries and panchayat raj, among others, will be involved in achieving the targets. The aim: Huge energy savings through efficiency measures to provide some relief to the sector and electricity consumers in particular.

“A circular has already been issued to all the employees of government departments to conserve energy by switching off unnecessary lights and fans, apart from non-usage of air-conditioners for the next six months to set an example to others. Also all heads of departments have been advised to strictly implement the energy conservation measures,” said principal secretary (energy) M. Sahoo, in a statement.

Surat: Surat could well become the first city in India to make solar water heating in all buildings, residential and commercial, mandatory.
Earlier, this year, the Union urban development ministry had made it mandatory that civic bodies of all 58 cities identified to be made “solar cities” change their construction bylaws to make solar energy compulsory for water heating systems.

The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) will make the necessary changes in the bylaws of construction within a month. There are 10.2 lakh houses and nearly 65,000 commercial buildings in the city, which will have to switch over to solar water heating.

New Delhi Cutting back on travelling, using renewable bio-fuels, thinking twice before firing up that laptop are among activities that can not just contribute to greening the planet but could get you also hefty discounts on trendy apparel and other major branded goods.

Following international trends, stores in India are waking up to 'carbon neutral' stores in which customers are able to redeem "credits" accumulated through the purchase of environment friendly products for discounts.