Cement, Energy and Environment

of the sponge , then in fact it would add up to an incredible amount. So in fact if you took a tea spoon of one of the best materials we have at the moment, then it would actually have a surface area of about a rugby field, which is pretty amazing," she said. Energy GLOBALTHERMALCOAL PRICES TO REMAIN BULLISH ON INDIA DEMAND India's growing appetite is becoming increasingly central to global thermal coal prices, which analysts predict, will harden moving towards the end of this calendar year. Demand from other Asian economies , industrial revival in Europe and North America, along with continuing infrastructure woes will also support prices for the fuel going ahead. India, currently the world's fastest growing coal importer, is expected to require about 375 MT of coal every year by 2017, by when it hopes to add 75 000 MW of thermal generation capacity. Estimates , by KMPG, however, indicate that about half of this requirement will be met through domestic production. As a result, India will need to import between 150-180 Mt annually. Demand from China, the world's largest importer of coal, is expected to grow, although it may remain sluggish in the short term. Courtesy: TERI (The Energy Resources Institute) Newswire, 1-15 October 2010, P5. D'Aiessandro said the "sponges" currently in development are more robust than previous ones, and could potentially withstand the high temperatures in power stations. Reversible The process of soaking the "molecular sponges" with carbon dioxide could also be reversible , allowing the gas to be released NEWS BRIEF CENTRE TARGETS 100,000 MW IN 12TH PLAN The Centre has targeted capacity addition of 100,000 MW each in the 1 ih Plan (2012-17) and 13 1 h plan (2017-22), said the Union Power Minister, Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde. Addressing the India Nuclear Energy Summit 2010 here on 8.10.2010 , he said about 65,000 MW was slated to go online in the 1 i h Plan. Of this, nearly 50 per cent of thermal plants would be subcritical while the balance would have supercritical technology. In the 13 1 h Plan, the Centre would ensure that only supercritical technology came up as it was about two per cent more efficient than subcritical and consumed less coal, besides having a lower carbon footprint. Hydelpower Over 1.48 lakh MW of hydel power capacity had been identified and despite doubts of environmental clearances, he was confident the projects would be set up. The Ministry was concentrating on modernization, renovation and life extension of old power stations. under certain conditions, she said. The scientists say their findings are not yet ready for commercial adaptation, but D' Alessandro sa id she hopes they will become viable.-AFP Courtesy: The Hindu Business Line, September 16, 2010. P13. Like all emerging economies, India offered exciting growth opportunities, especially in the energy sector. "Many of these opportunities will come from the energy sector where we have several schemes in operation . The New Electricity Policy is committed to providing electricity to all households by 2012 and plans to rapidly increase power generation. Nuclear energy plays a vital role in this as it is clean, fast and sustainable," he said. Later, while speaking to reporters, Mr. Shinde conceded that environment issues remained and these were being coordinated with the Environment Ministry. Dr. Srikumar Banerjee, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission , and Dr. R.K. Sinha, Director, BARC, spoke on the roadmap ahead and the addition of 40,000 MW by way of light water reactors. While the progress of indigenous technology would continue to supplement capacity augmentation, the more important task was to evolve a closed fuel cycle so that resources were conserved for the longer term. Courtesy: The Hindu Business Line, Mumbai, 09.10.2010. 60 --- -- -