Cement, Energy and Environment

While for large companies, the focus will be on grid connected solar units, opportunities abound in rural lighting, electrification, telecom applications such as cell phone towers, and agricultural pumps sets. These can be quickly deployed, he said. Courtesy: The Hindu Business Line, June 13, 2010. P2. Environment CEMENT FIRMS GO GREEN, TO CUT DOWN ON EMISSION Leading cement makers such as Binani Cement, Shree Cement and ACC Cement are embracing the use of alternative fuels, energy- efficient production and new technology to cut down the carbon footprint of an industry that globally releases 5% of man-made carbon emissions. Amit Singh, Senior Vice president of Binani Industries Ltd told FE, "For us, consciousness and concern regarding climate change is of paramount importance. As a cement company, our energy consumption per metric tonne of cement produced is one of the lowest in the industry. We are now trying to reduce it even further." Binani was one of the more than 20 companies from various industries that were recognized by the FE-EVI Green Business Leadership Awards on 5.6.2010 for taking substantial measures towards climate change mitigation. 'We are planning to produce green cement, which would insulate buildings from heat and hence reduce the energy requirement for cooling the interiors," Singh said. ACC Cement is using energy-efficient lighting, airconciitioning, green buildings and plantations, while Shree Cement is using a system called fuel gas diesel pharism to produce more power and to lower the carbon footprint, says the second green business survey conducted jointly by FE, Emergent Ventures India (an advisory firm on climate change) and the Indian School of Business. Rakesh Bhargava, chief climate officer of Shree Cement Limited , another recipient of the same award said , "With this award, we feel that the world is taking note of our initiatives like setting up of 40 MW Green Power Projects, the largest capacity in the entire world cement industry". Courtesy: The Financial Express New Delhi, 09.06.2010. RAJYA SABHA OKAYS GREEN TRIBUNAL BILL The Rajya Sabha on May 5 approved the National Green Tribunal Bill, which envisages setting up courts to adjudicate cases related to environmental matters. The tribunal, with its headquarters in Bhopal, will have a mix of judges and technical experts. Activists and lawyers have criticized the criteria for choosing the experts saying the posts seem more like post-retirement options for bureaucrafts. Unlike the earlier version of the bill where the tribunal's judgement was to be final, the bill allows petitioners to approach the Supreme Court to appeal the tribunal's ruling. The Lok Sabha had cleared the bill on April30. Courtesy: Down to Earth, May 16-31, 2010, P20. I Waste to Wealth & Recycling/ GETIING WASTE THROUGH FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS Developed countries are using free trade agreements (FTAs) to export their waste to the developing world. Japan and the EU are currently negotiating with India and a deal is likely to be signed this year. The commerce ministry has not made public details of 30 such deals India is negotiating. The cause for concern is the part of the draft text of an FTA between the EU and India, which was leaked, and Japan and Thailand, which is in advanced negotiations. The leaked draft negotiation text of lndia-EU phrases a new name for waste: it mentions "non-new goods shall be understood to include notably used and remanufactured goods" and that "non-new goods" would not have any restrictions such as import or export tariffs. Thus, import of waste could be treated just like import of fresh products. Should the deal with India follow the manner in which Japan is trying to seal deal with Thailand, import of waste in India would "increase enormously which would severely hamper environmental safeguard measures", said lawyer Kajal Bharadwaj. Since 2004, the governments of Japan and Thailand have been formally negotiating an FTA that seeks to eliminate tariffs on an unprecedented list of Japanese hazardous waste exports to Thailand. According to reports, officials from Thailand's foreign ministry confirmed that the country would have to accept 50 ·~ __/ .