A new proposal could require India's utilities to purchase a mandatory amount of hydroelectric power as the country works to wean itself off fossil-fueled forms of power generation. The proposal introduces a hydropower purchase obligation (HPO), which would modify India's Electricity Act of 2003 and changes to tariff policy in the years since. The legislation would also decrease some of the penalties levied ...

A Chinese engineering and construction company has commenced work on a $500 billion hydropower plant in the east African nation of Uganda. China International Water Electric (CWE) has commenced construction work on the 183-megawatt Isimba Falls hydropower plant, situated on the Ugandan stretch of the White Nile approximately 40 kilometres downstream from the Bujagali Power Station. The project is expected t ...

Indian conglomerate GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd. has awarded Alstom a contract worth around $135 million to equip the 850 megawatt-Ratle hydropower plant with turbines. Under the contract, Alstom will supply the hydropower plant with four Francis turbines that are rated at 205 MW each, and one Francis turbine rated at 30 MW. The contract is slated to begin in the second quarter of the current fiscal ye ...

China has achieved another world-beating status its leaders don't want: Biggest oil importer. China passed the United States in September as the world's biggest net oil importer, driven by faster economic growth and strong auto sales, according to U.S. government data released this week. Chinese oil consumption outstripped production by 6.3 million barrels per day, which indicates the country had to import ...

A strong showing from global solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, coupled with a sharp fall in new wind energy capacity, has led to solar power growth outpacing wind this year — for the first time ever. Analysis from Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts that 36.7 GW in new solar PV capacity will be added worldwide in 2013, compared with 35.5 GW in new wind power installations (33.8 GW onshore and 1.7 GW ...

The world’s largest and most powerful installed wind turbine will be ready for testing in Fife before the end of this month. Principal contractor Graham Construction expects to hand over the 196-metre giant — which will be taller than the highest spans of the nearby Forth Road Bridge — to owners Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) before the end of October. The prototype is being erected just yards offshore from ...

The South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy recently announced plans to consider energy storage, energy management, and a revision of its electricity rate structure. The current plan would mandate energy storage systems and provide financial support up to 50% of the system cost for small and medium-sized firms affected by the ruling. The proposed electricity rate restructuring would increase th ...

A new fuel cell catalyst made from gelatin has been created at Birmingham University. The material could replace the much more expensive platinum in fuel cells for vehicles and small-scale electricity generation. A research team led by Dr Zoe Schnepp used gelatin, an animal protein obtained from bones, skin, tendons and other unused parts of the animal in the food industry, which is used to make many food p ...

The governments of India and Bangladesh have completed construction on the Baharampur-Bheramara cross-border power transmission link between the countries. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the new transmission link will enable safe and reliable interconnection between the countries and will facilitate India to initially supply 500 MW power to Bangladesh. The Indian government will supply 250 M ...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide $500 million to build a power transmission system needed to deliver clean electricity from wind and solar power projects in Rajasthan in Northwest India to the state and national grids. “Boosting renewable energy is important for Rajasthan and India to meet fast-growing energy needs in a way that is kind to the environment while also improving the country’s ener ...