#Hydropower Project

[nepalenergyforum]

India, Nepal Agree to Fast-Track Collaborative Water and Energy Initiatives

Nepal and India have agreed to expedite hydropower projects and advance cooperation on energy, water resources and other key areas, a top minister of the Himalayan nation said on Wednesday (November 6, 2024). Nepalese Energy and Water Resources Minister Deepak Khadka, who visited India from November 3 to 6, made the comments during a brief talk with media persons at Tribhuvan International…

[bitcoinversus]

State-Backed Bitcoin Mining Expands in UAE, Argentina, and Ethiopia

Argentina, the UAE, and Ethiopia have embarked on state-backed Bitcoin mining initiatives, utilizing government resources to bolster their respective economies. According to insights from VanEck, these countries are aligning themselves with others like El Salvador and Bhutan, which have previously engaged in similar ventures. Argentina’s involvement may see the utilization of its state-owned…

[todayworldnews2k21]

“Not asking Punjab for anything, in fact they do not have anything to give,” says Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu 

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhivinder Singh Sukhu says there has been a big investment drain in the State’s major hydel sector, and that its royalty share in power projects needs to be raised. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Over six months into power in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu asserts that the State has been deprived of its legitimate rights from the…

[rightnewshindi]

रॉयल्टी के आधार पर बात नहीं बनी तो सरकार करेगी जल विद्युत परियोजनाओं का अधिग्रहण; सीएम सुक्खू

Himachal News: मुख्यमंत्री सुखविंदर सिंह सुक्खू ने कहा है कि अगर तय रॉयल्टी के आधार पर प्रदेश सरकार और सतलुज जल विद्युत निगम के बीच सहमति नहीं बनी तो प्रदेश सरकार जनहित में एसजेवीएन से सुन्नी, लुहरी और धौलासिद्ध परियोजनाएं अपने अधिग्रहण में ले लेगी। मुख्यमंत्री आज शिमला में उनसे मिलने आए सुन्नी, लुहरी पनविद्युत परियोजना के प्रभावितों के एक प्रतिनिधिमंडल को संबोधित कर रहे थे। उन्होंने प्रभावित…

[eninrac-consulting]

What are the challenges of implementing hydro power projects in India?

The National Electricity Policy of 2005, the National Tariff Policy of 2016, the National Rehabilitation & Resettlement Policy of 2007, and the Right to Fair Compensation & Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act of 2013 are just a few of the policy initiatives that the Indian government has put into place over the years to promote the development of the hydropower sector in the nation. The government also unveiled additional initiatives to support the hydropower industry on March 8, 2019, which include the following clauses:

Identifying large hydro projects (more than 25 MW) as a source of renewable energy

Strategies for rationalizing tariffs to lower the hydropower tariff

Financial Assistance for Hydroelectric Storage and Flood Moderation Projects (HEPs)

Financial Assistance for the Cost of Infrastructure Enablement, such as Roads and Bridges

[nigerianewstimes]

EFCC declares company promoter wanted over failed $6bn Mambilla Hydropower Project

The EFCC posted the notice declaring Mr Adesanya, a promoter of Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd, wanted on its verified Facebook page on Wednesday.

Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, EFCC, has declared Leno Laitan Adesanya, a promoter of Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd, wanted over his alleged role in the $6 billion Mambilla hydropower contract.

The EFCC posted the notice declaring Mr Adesanya wanted on its verified Facebook page on Wednesday.

In the publication signed by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the commission urged members of the public to volunteer useful information about Mr Adesanya’s whereabouts.

Mr Adesanya, 66, hails from Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Background

In January, the EFCC arraigned a former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, on corruption charges concerning the failed multi-billion-dollar Mambilla Hydropower project.

In one of the seven counts filed by the anti-graft agency, it accused Mr Agunloye of awarding a contract in May 2003 for the construction of 3,960 megawatts (mw) Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on a ‘Build, Operate and Transfer basis’ “without any budgetary provision, approval and cash backing”.

The commission said the award of the contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL) constituted an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(4) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

It also accused Mr Agunloye of corruptly receiving N3.6 million from Sunrise Power company in August 2019, years after leaving office, for the purported approval of the federal government for the award of the contract to the company.

EFCC said this act is also contrary to and punishable under Section 8(1)(a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

But Mr Agunloye denied all the charges, insisting that he is being picked on as the fall guy for the government’s mishandling of the project, while those who were responsible for it were left off the hook.

The project, first awarded in 2003 to Sunrise Power and Transmission Limited by the Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration, is the subject of decades of a legal dispute that is now under international arbitration between the company and the Nigerian government.

Mr Obasanjo, in distancing himself from the botched contract, claimed that he was not aware that the contract was awarded by his then-minister, Mr Agunloye.

According to Mr Agunloye, the contract for the project was duly awarded in 2003 by the Obasanjo administration on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis to deliver Nigeria’s biggest power plant with over 3,000 megawatts capacity at no cost to the Nigerian government.

The project was expected to address Nigeria’s intractable energy crisis.

[kimskashmir]

CBI raids ex-J&K Governor Satyapal Malik's premises in Kiru hydroelectric project case

NEW DELHI — The CBI on Thursday searches the premises of former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik and 29 other locations in connection with alleged corruption in the Kiru Hydropower project, officials said. The agency started its operation in the morning with around 100 officers mobilised to swoop down at 30 locations in multiple cities, they said. The case relates to alleged corruption…

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #32

August 30-September 6 2024.

President Biden announced $7.3 billion in clean energy investment for rural communities. This marks the largest investment in rural electrification since the New Deal. The money will go to 16 rural electric cooperatives across 23 states Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Together they will be able to generate 10 gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power 5 million households about 20% of America's rural population. This clean energy will reduce greenhouse emissions by 43.7 million tons a year, equivalent to removing more than 10 million cars off the road every year.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced a historic 10th offshore wind project. The latest project approved for the Atlantic coast of Maryland will generate 2,200 megawatts of clean, reliable renewable energy to power 770,000 homes. All together the 10 offshore wind projects approved by the Biden-Harris Administration will generation 15 gigawatts, enough to power 5.25 million homes. This is half way to the Administration's goal of 30 gigawatts of clean offshore wind power by 2030.

President Biden signed an Executive Order aimed at supporting and expanding unions. Called the "Good Jobs EO" the order will direct all federal agencies to take steps to recognize unions, to not interfere with the formation of unions and reach labor agreements on federally supported projects. It also directs agencies to prioritize equal pay and pay transparency, support projects that offer workers benefits like child care, health insurance, paid leave, and retirement benefits. It will also push workforce development and workplace safety.

The Department of Transportation announced $1 billion to make local roads safer. The money will go to 354 local communities across America to improve roadway safety and prevent deaths and serious injuries. This is part of the National Roadway Safety Strategy launched in 2022, since then traffic fatalities have decreased for 9 straight quarters. Since 2022 the program has supported projects in 1,400 communities effecting 75% of all Americans.

The Department of Energy announced $430 million to support America's aging hydropower. Hydropower currently accounts for nearly 27% of renewable electricity generation in the United States. However many of our dams were built during the New Deal for a national average of 79 years old. The money will go to 293 projects across 33 states. These updates will improve energy generation, workplace safety, and have a positive environmental impact on local fish and wildlife.

The EPA announced $300 million to help support tribal nations, and US territories cut climate pollution and boost green energy. The money will support projects by 33 tribes, and the Island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. EPA Administer Michael S. Regan announced the funds along side Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in Arizona to highlight one of the projects. A project that will bring electricity for the first time to 900 homes on the Hopi Reservation.

The Biden-Harris Administration is investing $179 million in literacy. This investment in the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant is the largest in history. Studies have shown that the 3rd grade is a key moment in a students literacy development, the CLSD is designed to help support states research, develop, and implement evidence-based literacy interventions to help students achieve key literacy milestones.

The US government secured the release of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua. Nicaragua's dictator President Daniel Ortega has jailed large numbers of citizens since protests against his rule broke out in 2018. In February 2023 the US secured the release of over 200 political prisoners. Human rights orgs have documented torture and sexual abuse in Ortega's prisons.

The Justice Department announced the disruption of a major effort by Russia to interfere with the 2024 US Elections. Russian propaganda network, RT, deployed $10 million to Tenet Media to help spread Russian propaganda and help sway the election in favor of Trump and the Republicans as well as disrupting American society. Tenet Media employs many well known conservative on-line personalities such as Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern, Dave Rubin, Tayler Hansen and Matt Christiansen.

Vice-President Harris outlined her plan for Small Businesses at a campaign stop in New Hampshire. Harris wants to expand from $5,000 to $50,000 tax incentives for startup expenses. This would help start 25 million new small business over four years.

[indizombie]

Take, for instance, the hydropower plants. There is a concern — of course, that is being furiously negated by dam engineers — that the 520 MW Tapovan-Vishnugad project is part of the reason for the soil collapse. In 2021, to this very date almost, the same area saw massive flash floods and landslides, which wiped out the Rishiganga hydropower project, killing some 200 people. Each disaster has the same message: learn to respect the mountains before you build tunnels, roads and houses. The fact is that this region can generate clean power from its mighty rivers. The question is how many hydropower units should be built, and how will the damage from these built projects be minimised? This is where the faith of engineers is blind to the region’s fragility. Or you could argue that they believe that all of nature is there to be dominated and re-engineered.

Sunita Narain, ‘Joshimath: A well-engineered calamity’, DownToEarth

[reasonsforhope]

"India has reached a key milestone in renewable energy, with the country’s total renewable energy capacity exceeding 200 gigawatts as of Oct. 10, 2024, according to the Central Electricity Authority. The renewable energy-based electricity generation capacity now stands at 201.45 GW, accounting for 46.3% of the nation’s total installed capacity.

This milestone is the result of years of efforts to harness India’s natural resources. From solar parks to wind farms and hydroelectric projects, the country has built a diverse renewable energy base, reducing fossil fuel dependence and enhancing energy security.

India's total electricity generation capacity has reached 452.69 GW, with renewable energy contributing a significant portion of the overall power mix as the country continued to increase its dependence on cleaner, non-fossil fuel energy sources and push towards its sustainability goals.

When factoring in the 8,180 MW of nuclear capacity, the total non-fossil fuel-based power now accounts for almost half of the country's installed electricity generation capacity, signalling a strong move towards clean energy leadership on the global stage.

Renewable Energy

A variety of renewable energy resources contribute to this impressive figure. Solar power leads the way with 90.76 GW, playing a crucial role in India’s efforts to harness its abundant sunlight. Wind power follows closely with 47.36 GW, driven by the vast potential of the coastal and inland wind corridors across the country.

Hydroelectric power is another key contributor, with large hydro projects generating 46.92 GW and small hydropower adding 5.07 GW, offering a reliable and sustainable source of energy from India’s rivers and water systems.

Biopower, including biomass and biogas energy, adds another 11.32 GW to the renewable energy mix. These bioenergy projects are vital for utilising agricultural waste and other organic materials to generate power, further diversifying India’s clean energy sources. Together, these renewable resources are helping the country reduce its dependence on traditional fossil fuels while driving progress towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

Leading States In Renewable Energy Capacity

Several states in India have emerged as leaders in renewable energy capacity, making significant contributions to the nation's progress. These states are essential to advancing India’s renewable energy goals and fostering a sustainable energy future.

Rajasthan leads the pack with an impressive 29.98 GW of installed renewable energy capacity, capitalising on its extensive land and abundant sunlight.

Following closely is Gujarat, which boasts a capacity of 29.52 GW, driven by its strong focus on solar and wind energy projects. Tamil Nadu ranks third with 23.70 GW, leveraging its favourable wind patterns to generate substantial energy. While Karnataka rounds out the top four with a capacity of 22.37 GW, supported by a mix of solar and wind initiatives.

India's commitment to renewable energy is reflected in the annual electricity generation trends in recent years. The Government of India has introduced various measures and initiatives to promote and accelerate renewable energy capacity nationwide, aiming for an ambitious target of 500 GW of installed capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030."

-via NDTV, October 14, 2024

[zvaigzdelasas]

China’s massive rollout of renewable energy is accelerating, its investments in the sector growing so large that international climate watchdogs now expect the country’s greenhouse-gas emissions to peak years earlier than anticipated—possibly as soon as this year[!!!].

China installed 217 gigawatts worth of solar power last year alone, a 55% increase, according to new government data. That is more than 500 million solar panels and well above the total installed solar capacity of the U.S. [...]

Wind-energy installation additions were 76 gigawatts last year, more than the rest of the world combined. That amounted to more than 20,000 new turbines across the country, including the world’s largest, [...]

The low-carbon capacity additions, which also included hydropower and nuclear, were for the first time large enough that their power output could cover the entire annual increase in Chinese electricity demand [!!!!], analysts say. The dynamic suggests that coal-fired generation—which accounts for 70% of overall emissions for the world’s biggest polluter—is set to decline in the years to come, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency and Lauri Myllyvirta, the Helsinki-based lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.[...]

Its rapid emissions growth long provided fodder for critics who said Beijing wasn’t committed to fighting climate change or supporting the Paris accord, the landmark climate agreement that calls for governments to attempt to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over preindustrial temperatures. Now, analysts and officials say Beijing’s efforts are lending momentum to the Paris process, which requires governments to draft new emissions plans every five years.

“An early peak would have a lot of symbolic value and send a signal to the world that we’ve turned a corner," said Jan Ivar Korsbakken, a senior researcher at the Oslo-based Center for International Climate and Environmental Research.

In 2020, Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged that the country’s emissions would begin falling before 2030 and hit net zero before 2060, part of its plan prepared under the Paris accord. He also said China would have 1,200 gigawatts of total solar- and wind-power capacity by the end of this decade. The country is six years ahead of schedule: China reached 1,050 gigawatts of wind and solar capacity at the end of 2023, and the China Electricity Council forecast last month that capacity would top 1,300 gigawatts by the end of this year.[...]

Transition Zero, a U.K.-based nonprofit that uses satellite images to monitor industrial activity and emissions in China, says the official data are “broadly aligned and consistent" with theirs.[...]

[M]oving China’s timeline for an overall emissions peak forward could shave off around 0.3 to 0.4 degrees Celsius of projected global warming if emissions started to decline next decade, analysts say.[...]

The most certain variable in the equation is the breakneck pace of China’s renewable-energy rollout, which analysts expect will continue to add 200 to 300 gigawatts of new wind and solar capacity a year. The investments in renewable energy have become a major driver of the Chinese economy. The country’s clean-energy spending totaled $890 billion last year, up 40%. [...]

The adoption of electric vehicles is happening so rapidly that analysts say peak gasoline demand in China was already reached last year[!!!].

10 Feb 24

[nepalenergyforum]

Western Baglung's Rural Areas Still Without Electricity

The residents of the district headquarters began living in brightness 47 years ago when a small hydropower project in Kathekhola, near Baglung Bazaar, generated electricity in 2033. However, rural residents have yet to receive electricity.   Baglung — Even 47 years after electricity reached the district headquarters, power lines have not yet been extended to the settlements in western Baglung.…

[mutant-distraction]

In the elevated Indus Valley of Pakistan, you'll find some of the world's most intricate and diverse petroglyphs. Specifically, the ancient Shatial glyphs along the Karakoram Highway in the Gilgit-Baltistan region stand out. Dating back to the Stone Age, these glyphs adorn rocks and boulders, extending for over 100 kilometers. Encompassing various languages, religions, and the symbolism of peoples spanning 10,000 years, these remarkable writings and designs face potential threats from modern hydropower projects planned in the Indus Valley.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week

🦾 - High-Five for Bionic Hand

1. Houston-area school district announces free breakfast and lunch for students

Pasadena ISD students will be getting free breakfast and lunch for the 2023-24 school year, per an announcement on the district's social media pages.

The 2023-24 free lunch program is thanks to a Community Eligibility Provision grant the district applied for last year. The CEP, which is distributed by the Department of Agriculture, is specially geared toward providing free meals for low-income students.

2. Dolphin and her baby rescued after being trapped in pond for 2 years

A pair of dolphins that spent nearly two years stuck in a Louisiana pond system are back at sea thanks to the help of several agencies and volunteers.

According to the Audubon Nature Institute, wildlife observers believe the mother dolphin and her baby were pushed into the pond system near Grand Isle, Louisiana, during Hurricane Ida in late August 2021.

3. Studies show that putting solar panels over waterways could boost clean energy and conserve water. The first U.S. pilot project is getting underway in California.

Some 8,000 miles of federally owned canals snake across the United States, channeling water to replenish crops, fuel hydropower plants and supply drinking water to rural communities. In the future, these narrow waterways could serve an additional role: as hubs of solar energy generation.

4. Gene therapy eyedrops restored a boy's sight. Similar treatments could help millions

Antonio was born with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic condition that causes blisters all over his body and in his eyes. But his skin improved when he joined a clinical trial to test the world’s first topical gene therapy.

The same therapy was applied to his eyes. Antonio, who’s been legally blind for much of his 14 years, can see again.

5. Scientists develop game-changing vaccine against Lyme disease ticks!

A major step in battling Lyme disease and other dangerous tick-borne viruses may have been taken as researchers announced they have developed a vaccine against the ticks themselves.

Rather than combatting the effects of the bacteria or microbe that causes Lyme disease, the vaccine targets the microbiota of the tick, according to a paper published in the journal Microbiota on Monday.

6. HIV Transmission Virtually Eliminated in Inner Sydney, Australia

Sydney may be the first city in the world to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Inner Sydney has reduced new HIV acquisitions by 88%, meaning it may be the first locality in the world to reach the UN target to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030

7. New bionic hand allows amputees to control each finger with unprecedented accuracy

In a world first, surgeons and engineers have developed a new bionic hand that allows users with arm amputations to effortlessly control each finger as though it was their own body.

Successful testing of the bionic hand has already been conducted on a patient who lost his arm above the elbow.

----

That's it for this week :)

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[rjzimmerman]

Mexico elects climate scientist as next president (Heatmap AM)

Mexico resoundingly elected Claudia Sheinbaum as its next president over the weekend. Sheinbaum, 61, is making headlines for becoming the country’s first female president, as well as its first Jewish leader, but she is also a climate scientist, and her landslide victory “could mark a turning point from the current administration’s pro-fossil fuel policies,” as Climate Home News explained. Sheinbaum studied physics and then received her doctorate in energy engineering. She spent four years at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab studying Mexico’s energy consumption, and had a brief stint on the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). She was tapped as secretary of the environment for Mexico City before being elected as the capital’s mayor in 2018. During her tenure she was an advocate for rooftop solar and better public transportation infrastructure.

On the presidential campaign trail, Sheinbaum promised to “accelerate the energy transition” by boosting wind and solar, installing new transmission lines, and improving the country’s hydropower stations. But she has also backed the “energy sovereignty” policies of her predecessor and mentor, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. He built an oil refinery, funneled support into an indebted state oil company, and failed to set a national net zero target. Under his leadership, private investment in renewable projects has slumped. Energy policy may be on Sheinbaum’s to-do list when she takes office in October, but tackling crime is likely to be top of the agenda.

[eninrac-consulting]

Hydropower Growth: Exploring Small Hydro Power and Major Projects in India

Dive into the world of hydropower growth and discover the potential of small hydro power systems. Our detailed exploration highlights significant hydro power projects in India, showcasing their impact on sustainable energy development. Learn about the advancements and benefits of hydropower as a renewable energy source, and understand how small-scale projects contribute to the overall energy landscape in India. Join us to explore the future of hydro power and its role in sustainable development.