Siemens Ltd launches its most energy efficient IE3 range of low voltage motors
Siemens Ltd announced the launch of its new range of energy efficient motor SIMOTICS 1LE7. Siemens announced its locally – manufactured IE2 and IE3 industrial motors are capable of offering an average monetary savings of up to 8 – 20 per cent, the company said in a media statement. As of now, 1 out of 2 energy efficient low voltages IE motor sold in India is from Siemens, the company statement added. “These new motors have been introduced to help energy intensive industries like cement, metals, mining, power, textiles, pulp and paper etc., achieve significant reduction in energy consumption and thus reduce their carbon footprint,” said Siemens in a media release. Energy–efficient products for the Indian market are a major part of Siemens sustainability initiative. “Siemens began the manufacturing of motors in India since 1966 and the SIMOTICS 1LE7 will prove to be a reliable and efficient innovation which will boost the performance of energy intensive industries,” said Bhaskar Mandal, Executive Vice President and Country Division Lead, Process Industries & Drives Division, Siemens India Marquel Lee Authentic Jersey
LNG option for power on back burner
Despite a weakening power position in the State owing to the elusive monsoon, there is a lack of interest among authorities to rely on NTPC for additional requirement. The gas-based plant of NTPC at Kayamkulam has been idling for most part of the year in the absence of adequate orders for power generation from the KSEB. Orders The State has been giving orders to the unit to generate electricity as a stop-gap arrangement. Though the government has been maintaining that the higher power generation cost is the reason behind low utilisation of the facility, NTPC has disputed it. While NTPC has been offering power to the State at Rs.6.30 a unit, the actual cost incurred by the government is much less, according to sources in the power sector. The KSEB had been getting 180 MW from the NTPC Talcher plant in Odisha under a special package at Rs.1.20 to Rs.1.80 a unit, sources in the power sector said. Package The package had been offered as a mechanism to offset the impact on Kerala’s power scenario arising out of the higher cost of production at the Kayamkulam unit. The facility has been utilised by the State since 2005. Kerala has been getting over 1100 MW from NTPC units including Kayamkulam. In effect, the average cost of power being supplied to the KSEB by NTPC comes to about Rs.3.50 per unit. In the absence of the reduced rate for power from Talcher, Kerala’s power purchase bill would have gone higher, according to theses sources. Kerala, having an installed power generation capacity of 2,891 MW, has a demand exceeding 4,000 MW. Less than 10 pert cent of the 360 MW capacity of the NTPC plant is being utilised now. Uncertainty With the prevailing uncertainty over the Athirappilly power project, it is certain that the State government will have to depend on alternative sources, but little attention is being paid to utilise power from the Kayamkulam plant to its full capacity. A top official of Petronet LNG said the government could take initiatives such as extending gas pipeline on land or under sea as well as waiving of the local taxes on LNG in a bid to run the Kayamkulam plant throughout the year. “Monetary calculations apart, the induction of LNG as fuel at the plant would usher in an eco-friendly power generation regime in a State which is known for a clean and green environment.” Such a move is all the more relevant now against the backdrop of the recent National Green Tribunal order to four north Indian States to make use of compressed natural gas for running vehicles, in a bid to curb pollution. The critical problems faced by the country’s capital city due to pollution should be an eye opener to Kerala, the official said. Babe Ruth Authentic Jersey
Govt plans to boost setting up of biomass power plants
There is a renewed interest in biomass power plants, which can not only generate electricity but also help dispose of — in a carbon-neutral manner — agriculture waste, burning of which in Punjab and Haryana is partly blamed for the alarming levels of pollution Delhi is experiencing. Minister of New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal held a meeting of top officials on Monday to consider increasing incentives to boost this segment. “We are thinking of a scheme to encourage setting up of biomass plants using agricultural waste, but I cannot say anything more at the moment,” said Santosh Vaidya, joint secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), told ET. The government already provides financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh per MW for setting up biomass power plants, and Rs 15 lakh per MW for co-generation projects by sugar mills (using sugarcane waste left over after juice extraction). Such plants cost around Rs 4.5-6 crore per MW, while generation expense is around Rs 3.25-4.00 per kwH. They are also entitled to concessional import and excise duties while acquiring equipment, as well as a tax holiday for 10 years. But unlike sun and wind energy, this segment has been languishing in India. At the end of 2015-16, the country’s total biomass power installed capacity (along with co-generation units) was 4831.33 MW, with another 1150 MW under construction. Capacity addition has in fact slowed in the past three years, from 465.6 MW in 2012-13 to 412.5 MW in 2013-14, 405 MW in 2014-15 and 400 MW in 2015-16. Barring Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, no state added any biomass power or co-generation capacity in the last fiscal year. Rather, leading players like Orient Green Power have been trying hard to sell off their biomass power assets, as they are not profitable. Punjab has a biomass power and co-generation installed capacity of 155.5 MW, of which around 62.5 MW are in operation. In Haryana, the capacity is 45.3 MW. “The Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has been urging the Punjab and Haryana governments to set up biomass power plants since 2008 as one of the solutions to Delhi’s pollution crisis,” said Polash Mukerjee, researcher at the Centre for Science and Environment. “A target of 600 MW of installed capacity was set for Punjab years ago, but without any timeline. It has since been revised to 500 MW by 2020.” Six more biomass power plants are under construction in Punjab which on completion will raise effective the capacity to 110 MW from 62.5 MW. “But even after these are completed, they will use up only around 1 million tonne of agricultural waste, which is just 5% of the 20 million tonne Punjab produces,” said Mukerjee. Darius Leonard Womens Jersey
Himachal Governor underlines importance of energy efficiency
Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat today asked the children to come forward and educate their families, neighbourhood and society about the importance of energy conservation. “If every individual works honestly in their respective fields, the country would definitely become ‘Vishwa Guru’, for which there is a need to change the mindset of people,” he said at the prize distribution function of the state-level painting competition on Energy Conservation organised by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd at Rajbhawan here. The painting competition was held under the National Campaign on Energy Conservation of Ministry of Power and Bureau of Energy Efficiency. The Governor urged the children to come forward and educate their families, neighbourhood and society about the importance of energy conservation. He said that energy played a vital role in the development of nation and it was the responsibility of every citizen to conserve every bit of it. He also underlined the need to develop a sense of patriotism and dedication towards the nation among the children and added that this spirit of love would help the country in its march towards progress. Devvrat said that unless children were taught values like discipline, patriotism and sensitivity towards those in need, they could not become good citizens. He urged the teachers to sensitise young minds towards issues like environment protection and selfless service towards society. The Governor added that the Rajbhawan had taken several steps to check the misuse of power after taking inspiration from Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVNL). Vic Beasley Womens Jersey
If petrol pump refuses to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1000, govt. will rescue: Dharmendra Pradhan
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan today announced that if the petrol pumps refuse to accept Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes then government would coordinate in the dealings. “Every petrol pump will accept notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 till November 11, I appeal all to kindly coordinate,” he said. He urged the public to avoid chaos and panic created by the news of demonetization of the sudden withdrawal of selected denomination notes from circulation. “There should be no panic and chaotic situations should be avoided, We should all work together to make it a success,” he added. In a bid to flush out black, caused chaos on Wednesday as gas stations and some retailers refused to accept the larger bills, and bank ATMs stayed closed. From midnight, the larger banknotes ceased to be legal tender for transactions other than exchanging them at banks for smaller notes or new ones for Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000. Petrol stations run by state companies will be punished for not accepting the larger denomination bank notes, even though they had been ordered to accept them till Friday night. Pradhan said people can contact him on twitter (@dpradhanbjp) to complain about any gas stations breaking the rule. Meanwhile bank ATMs were closed and many are likely to remain shut on Thursday as banks prepare for the flood of people seeking to exchange larger banknotes for smaller ones. Phil Esposito Jersey
Experts call for India-B’desh cooperation in gas exploration
India and Bangladesh should get together for joint exploration of gas to overcome the hurdle of resource and logistic mobilization, poor connectivity and most important reduction in the cost of exploration. This was expressed by the experts of both nations during the recent two-day ‘International conference on the present and future of natural gas : challenges and opportunities in NE India’ organized at the Pragya Bhavan here by the Synergy For Energy Challenges and Opportunities in N-E (SECONE), an organization funded by Indian energy companies like ONGC, GAIL, IOL etc. “Gas is a clean fuel and is part of the energy. The focus of the conference is natural gas and we have chosen Tripura because it is lying between Bangladesh and Myanmar. There is gas in the entire region starting from Bangladesh to Myanmar. At present in the northeast (India), Tripura is producing the maximum quantity of natural gas. If more focus is given then there will be more production of gas, more exploration and more gas based industries will come and there will be more development of the region,” said Anil Kr Saikia, Secretary, SECONE. Saikia said the biggest hurdle in the exploration of gas in this region is logistics and tough terrine and due to which the exploration cost is very high. “Moreover, there is transportation bottleneck along with the law and order problem but things are fast improving,” he added. Most of the experts expressed that both nations should cooperate in using each other’s expertise, territory for resource mobilization and equipment in exploration sector to bring down the cost and for viability of the project. “Bangladesh, Northeast India and Myanmar and these areas are endured with natural resources. Our resource is so big but our reserve is small because we could not explore it. What were the major hindrances the political boundaries, logistically difficult and because of these two it becomes costlier in exploration. That is why Bangladesh could not do very good, nor India or the Burmese in the north-eastern part. If we cooperate each other; politically these are different countries but geologically it is one. There are seven to eight borders connected with very well road, communication. Hence, within no time we can mobilize our equipment and material to the sites,” said Md Maqbhul E Elahi, former director of Petro Bangla of Bangladesh and an energy expert. Elahi added: “To drill one well you need to mobilize 1200 tonnes of equipments. If we use Bangladesh roads and mobilize the equipments to Tripura or Myanmar side then in no time we can reach at almost no cost. Even to reach Digboy and these areas, it only takes six to seven hours time from Sylhet which has good road and communication. So, if we use it then the exploration cost reduces and initiative from the private partners will grow up. So, if we can cooperate then definitely we can in a very short time develop much faster compared to other parts of the world.” Meantime, ONGC Tripura Asset Manager S.C. Soni said there is a need for regional cooperation in energy sector between India, Myanmar and Bangladesh for development and prosperity. “But there is a misconception or misunderstanding in this regard. There should be cooperation between Indian and Bangladesh because we are sharing the boundary and our fields are very nearby and so we can exchange our technical expertise and our data to them and they are also actually ready to share their data so that actually we can have a mutual cooperation. We also need to have a gas grid system between India, Myanmar and Bangladesh,” he added. Soni further said that both Bangladesh and Northeast India have gas which needs to be tapped in a planned way, adding a gas grid shall come up in north-east India by 2030 which shall be connected with the neighouring nations. Teddy Bridgewater Authentic Jersey
L&T ties up with Japan’s Chiyoda for emission control technology
Indian firm has signed licence agreement with Chiyoda Corp for its flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) technology, which reduces sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions in thermal power plants. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has entered into a long-term technical licence agreement with Japan’s ChiyodaCorporation for its Chiyoda Thoroughbred 121TM (CT-121TM) flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) technology. The agreement grants L&T exclusive rights to undertake EPC of CT-121TM FGD systems. As per the notification of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued in December 2015, new limits on sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions has been introduced for coal-based thermal power plants in India. The move, which makes Indian emission norms among the most stringent in the world, has called for mandatory installation of FGD systems in upcoming power plants, including those currently under construction and many that are already operational. “As a responsible corporate citizen, L&T is committed to containing emissions and has always complied with the relevant government norms. The agreement with ChiyodaCorporation is yet another major step in that direction,” said Shailendra Roy, CEO & MD, L&T Power and whole-time director (power, heavy engineering & defence), L&T. Ryosuke Shimizu, director & senior vice president (technology development, investment & project operations), Chiyoda Corporation, added, “We are very happy to contribute to India’s development of energy and environment in harmony with our own technology.” The CT-121TM FGD process is a unique technology developed by Chiyoda in which sulphur dioxide is absorbed from flue gas generated by coal-fired, oil-fired and other types of boilers and removed as gypsum. Unlike conventional processes in which the reagent slurry is sprayed on flue gas, the CT-121TM process uses Chiyoda’s unique absorber, the Jet Bubbling Reactor (JBR), in which the flue gas is blown into the reagent slurry, forming a fine bubble bed where SO2 is absorbed, oxidised by injected air, and then neutralised by ground limestone slurry. This technology is highly efficient, enabling low-cost removal of flue gas SO2. Moreover, it ensures that the plant remains compact and easy to maintain. L&T and Chiyoda’s relationship dates back over two decades with L&T-Chiyoda Limited, a JV that has come to be an internationally reputed design and engineering consultancy organisation catering to the hydrocarbon sector. Through the signing of this agreement, the two companies have extended their association into the power sector as well. Orlando Cepeda Authentic Jersey
Get mini gas cylinders via supermarkets soon
Targeting the city’s floating population, Indane plans to introduce small 5 kg liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders through supermarkets and malls. A customer who wants a new small-size cooking gas cylinder will have to pay Rs. 1,018, excluding the safety hose and regulator. Of the total price of Rs. 1,018, Rs. 700 would go towards the cost of the cylinder and Rs. 318 for refill, explained a source from the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC), which owns the brand. Indane had launched these cylinders in 2013 and they were made available through company-operated fuel outlets and gas agencies. However, the scheme failed to take off at fuel outlets. “This time, we are reaching out to the consumers. The price of the cylinder has also been reduced from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 700. The connections would be made available over the counter. Consumers can produce any government-approved ID proof and purchase the cylinders. Residential proof is not necessary,” explained a source. Target customers Since the cylinders are targeted at people who are not permanent residents of the city, there is a ‘buy back’ offer whereby consumers can return the cylinder and get Rs. 500 for it, he added. However, distributors said the 5 kg cylinders were already available over the counter and were being opted for by roadside vendors and those residing in places like East Coast Road where there are no gas agencies nearby. “These are cash and carry options… there is no home delivery,” said a distributor. Meanwhile, a press release from the All India LPG Distributors Federation sought to reassure consumers that they need not worry about a strike from November 15 that has been called by another association as it does not have any presence in Tamil Nadu. Ron Hainsey Womens Jersey
BP announces further progress towards rebalancing organic cash flows in 2017
BP has reported a profit for the third quarter of 2016 of USD933 million on an underlying replacement cost basis. This compares to USD720 million profit for the previous quarter and USD1.8 billion for the third quarter of 2015. The quarter’s result was affected by a weaker price and margin environment. It was also negatively impacted by several mainly one-off and non-cash items in the Upstream. However, the result also included benefits from lower cash costs being incurred throughout the Group and a positive one-time tax credit. Underlying operating cash flow, which excludes pre-tax Gulf of Mexico payments, was $4.8 billion for the quarter. It was $13.3 billion for the first nine months of the year, benefitting from reliable operations and lower cash costs. BP announced an unchanged dividend for the quarter of 10c per ordinary share, expected to be paid in December. “We continue to make good progress in adapting to the challenging price and margin environment,” Brian Gilvary, BP’s chief financial officer said. “We remain on track to rebalance organic cash flows next year at USD50 to USD55 a barrel, underpinned by continued strong operating reliability and momentum in resetting costs and capital spending. At the same time we are investing in the projects, businesses and options to deliver growth in the years ahead.” BP’s cash costs over the past four quarters were USD6.1 billion lower than in 2014, continuing the Group’s progress towards 2017 cash costs being USD7 billion lower than in 2014. BP’s expectation for 2016 organic capital expenditure was reduced again and it is now expected to total around USD16 billion, compared to original guidance of USD17-19 billion given at the start of the year. BP expects capital expenditure in 2017 to be between USD15 billion and 17 billion. Cash divestment proceeds for the year to date, including the partial sale of BP’s shareholding in Castrol India, are now USD2.7 billion. At the end of the third quarter, BP’s gearing level was 25.9 per cent, within the targeted 20-30 per cent range. The Brent oil price averaged USD46 a barrel in the quarter, compared with USD50 a barrel in 3Q 2015, and gas prices outside the US were also weaker. Refining margins were steeply down from a year earlier, depressed by high product stock levels. BP reported an overall headline profit for the quarter of USD1.6 billion, which includes a net gain of USD728 million for non-operating items and fair value accounting effects. This is comparable to a profit of USD46 million a year earlier and a loss of USD1.4 billion in the second quarter of this year, when significant charges associated with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill were taken. Both of BP’s main operating segments continued to demonstrate strong operational performance, with Upstream plant reliability at 95 per cent and refining availability in Downstream at 95.4% in the first three quarters of the year. BP’s Downstream segment delivered resilient results despite refining margins weaker than both the previous quarter and, particularly, a year earlier. Underlying pre-tax replacement cost profit was $1.4 billion, compared with $1.5 billion for 2Q 2016 and USD2.3 billion for 3Q 2015. Compared with a year earlier, the impact of the lower refining margin environment was partially offset by an increased retail performance and cost reductions across the segment. BP’s Upstream segment reported an underlying pre-tax replacement cost loss of USD224 million, compared with profits of USD29 million for 2Q 2016 and USD823 million for 3Q 2015. Compared with a year earlier, the result reflected weaker oil and non-US gas prices and lower gas marketing and trading results, together with the impact of higher exploration write-offs and rig cancellation charges. The impacts of these were partially offset by benefits of cost reduction programmes in the Upstream. BP estimated its share of Rosneft net income for the third quarter to be USD120 million, compared with USD246 million for 2Q 2016 and USD382 million for 3Q 2015. In July BP received a dividend of USD332 million, representing 35 per cent of BP’s share of Rosneft’s 2015 IFRS net income. In the Upstream, BP announced an agreement for a second production sharing agreement with CNPC for shale gas in China and also amendment of a number of concessions in Egypt that enabled the fast-track development of the Nooros field. In September, BP and Det Norske completed the formation of their Norwegian joint venture. On completion of the sale of BP Norge, BP received a 30 per cent equity interest in Aker BP. The In Amenas Compression project in Algeria is on schedule to commence operation in the fourth quarter, which would make it the fifth Upstream major project to start this year. In October, BP announced its decision not to continue its exploration programme in the Great Australian Bight, off the south coast of Australia. In the Downstream, BP continues to see marketing growth with retail volumes increasing by 3 per cent in the year to date and two new convenience partnerships in Europe. Willie Roaf Jersey