Catching up on Lost Growth

Like how it is important for our country to catch up on technological growth, and hence have a solid base/foundation in renewable energy systems at home, it is equally important for kids to have a solid base/foundation in their physical growth during their growing years. Otherwise, they'll start catching up with others and that might slow their progress, like how our country is trying to catch up with developed countries on renewable energy technology now. 

While most of us acknowledge that kids need to develop the right height and weight for their age, how do we ascertain what that right height and weight is? You can do that by entering some basic info about your child in this Growth Calculator - the system will let you compare your child's height and weight with the average height and weight of kids of similar age.  

Now that you have identified how your child's height and weight compares with others, you might be interested in taking action on improving the same, if you find your kids' lagging behind others on both. Horlicks, the company that is popular for making health drinks, suggests you try Horlicks Growth+ drink. 

The company says that the drink naturally enhances growth, helps acquire healthy weight gain and provides high quality proteins. The company recommends Horlicks Growth+ for kids between 3 & 9 who maybe lagging behind in height and weight. Horlicks Growth+ is available in Chocolate and Vanilla flavours, hence kids may not complain about the taste. They might even enjoy drinking it and might pester you to give more! The company says the drink is suitable for vegetarians also. 

Horlicks recommends you mix the drink with hot milk or hot water, and not not with soups, juices, etc. They also suggest that you give it just before the kid sleeps, or in between meals so that their food intake is not affected. If your child is well ahead of others in height and weight, you might want to consult a pediatrician before giving them Horlicks Growth+ as they might advise some exclusions from the regular diet in order to be able to accommodate this drink.  

According to Horlicks -

“Horlicks Growth+ is a specialized nutrition product designed by international pediatric experts for children in age group of 3-9 years who are lagging behind in height and weight. It contains high quality whey protein with added nutrients that are known to enable children to catch up on lost growth. It has been clinically proven for visible growth in children in 6 months.”

While there are other healthy beverages like milk and juices, this drink is not a replacement for any of them. It provides additional nutrition for kids who have fallen behind in height & weight, so that they can catch up with the rest of the world and shine in all their academic, sports, and other extra-curricular activities. Who knows, your child might come up with the next breakthrough technology in renewable energy systems! As a parent, you can also be anxiety-free if you help your kids achieve their true potential.

You can buy Horlicks Growth+ in pharmacies, modern retail chains, grocery outlets and even in websites online. Have a look at Horlicks Growth+ webpage to know more details about their product.

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Innovative Energy Startups can apply to Berlin Bootcamp (July '16)

If you run an innovative energy startup you think will create a breakthrough in energy technology and has a clearly demonstrated demand in the market, and you already have a working prototype/proof of concept, you can showcase your venture at the Berlin Bootcamp hosted by GIZ India and Social Impact in the month of July 2016, in Germany. 

Yourstory reports that up to 5 startups from India (one person from each) will get a chance to participate in a 1.5-week-long bootcamp at Berlin, free of cost. For more information, terms & conditions, qualifying criterion, links to the organizers page, etc. please refer to this Yourstory.in post. Please read all the details before applying.

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GeoThermal Energy could make a big Impact in India

Geothermal energy is a renewable form of energy that can be applied to achieve heating or cooling of large and small organizations alike. 

Here is the story of GIBSS - Green India Building Systems and Services that has reduced energy consumption and demand in buildings by 60%. Read it.

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Ather Energy Launches S340 Electric Scooter

Ather Energy recently launched the S340 Electric Scooter at the SURGE Conference, Bengaluru. They claim that theirs is not just the best electric scooter, but also the best scooter among electric and petrol scooters! I am not sure if it's actually the best, but it's certainly the most modern, innovative and connected scooter available for Indian two-wheeler riders today. 

Salient Points about the Ather S340 Electric Scooter:

• Li-Ion Battery Lasts 50,000 KMs.
• Battery charges up to 80% within an hour. Consumes 2.5 units of electricity for full charge.
• Normal 5A sockets are sufficient, but charging is faster if larger sockets are used. 
• Capable of achieving a top speed of 72 KMPH. 
• 60 KM range with 300 Kg load. Range increases with reduced load. 
• Prototype can go 0-60 Kmph in 11s. 
• Scooter is 20% lighter than its petrol counterparts. 
• Maintenance, Navigation (Maps!), digital speedometer, and time management is available on the waterproof dashboard screen. 
• Connects to Internet via 3G SIM card. 
• The scooter can tell you the fastest route based on your riding habits.
• Designed and built in-house in India for Indian consumers, by IIT graduates.
• Price to be announced in Q2 '16, and the scooter to be available from Q4, '16 (mostly).
• Battery charging system is integrated into the scooter.
• Online purchase model with doorstep delivery and service, at least initially. Expected to be available in Bangalore, Pune and Chennai first. 
• Sleek form-factor with sufficient empty space to store two full-sized helmets.

As electric scooters can be powered using solar energy, I asked the Ather Energy team on Facebook if they would provide solar modules and charging infrastructure. They said they didn't have any plans to do that right now, but may provide it in the future. When Mahindra E20 Electric car provides solar charging infrastructure as an option, I am sure Ather Energy can also do it. That has the potential to create a revolution in the Indian automobile market.

Further Information: Ather Energy website. 

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Impact of Wind Power in India

India is the fourth largest generator of electricity through wind energy/wind turbines. The potential of wind power in India has been assessed to be 300 GW. As of Nov. 2015, the installed capacity of wind power in India is estimated to be slightly less than 25 GW. Wind power contributes to around 8% of the power generation capacity in India, and it contributes to 65% of power generation capacity among renewable power sources in the country.

Top 5 Indian States with the Highest installed Wind Power capacity: Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan & Karnataka. Tamil Nadu contributes to around 35% of the total wind power capacity in India. Gujarat is estimated to have the maximum gross wind power potential in the country. The Government of India aims to achieve 60 GW of wind power by 2022.

Largest Wind Farm in India: Muppandal wind farm, Tamil Nadu (1500 MW capacity).

Suzlon, an Indian-owned company, is one of the major manufacturer of wind turbines across the world, and has an installed capacity of more than 6.2 GW in India alone. The major wind turbine manufacturers active in India include Suzlon, GE, LM Wind Power, Vestas, Gamesa, Siemens, ReGen Powertech, RRB Energy, Inox Wind, etc.

2.5 MW and 2.8 MW Wind Turbines are among the largest capacity wind turbines installed in India with massive rotor diameters of approx. 100m & 109m respectively. Offshore wind farms are being considered to be developed in the Indian states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Accelerated depreciation and other incentives are available for businesses installing wind power capacity in India. 

The Indian Wind Energy Association (InWEA) is a non profit organization that is dedicated to the promotion of wind energy in India. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), is the Government body that oversees the policy and development of renewable energy, including wind energy, in India. 

A Wind Resource Map, indicating the wind power potential of various regions of India is available online. Indian Wind Power, managed by Indian Wind Power Manufacturer's Association, is a dedicated magazine that publishes regular news and articles about wind power in India. You can read many articles related to technology, policy, investment, etc. in the wind energy sector, from here. 

Hybrid Solar-Wind and Solar-Hydro power projects are common in India as two forms of renewable energy can combine together and compensate for one another during periods of low production. Besides, there is a lot of space available in wind energy sites where solar panels can easily be installed, to compliment the energy generated by wind. Wind turbines can even be installed on farms and other useful land without interfering with regular activities. 

As you can see, wind power has the potential to create enormous impact in India and the Govt. is rightly targeting to become a superpower in Wind Energy. 

Further Information: Wikipedia article on Wind power in India. 

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

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Impact of Solar Power in India

The amount of solar energy available for tapping in India in a year is more than the capacity of all the fossil fuel reserves in the country! Solar energy is obviously a natural resource that is available in abundance (and for free) in India, which we have started utilizing in a large scale over the last few years. However, solar power can/should create an even higher impact in the electricity generation scenario in India. 

As of July 2015, the total installed capacity of solar power in India is around 4 GW, while the total installed capacity of all forms of electrical utilities is around 285 GW. India is ranked No.1 in terms of solar energy production capacity per watt installed. The demand is ever increasing and fossil fuels can only generate so much electricity. Clearly, there is a lot of scope for solar power to create a larger impact in India.

Top 5 Indian States with Highest Installed Solar Energy Capacity:

1. Rajasthan - 1199.70 MW
2. Gujarat - 1000 MW
3. Madhya Pradesh - 673.58 MW
4. Maharashtra - 378.70 MW
5. Andhra Pradesh - 279.44 MW

Top 5 Largest Solar Power Projects in India: 

1. Charanka Solar Park, Gujarat - 221 MW
2. Welspun Solar MP Project, Madhya Pradesh - 151 MW
3. Sakri Solar Plant, Maharashtra - 125 MW
4. Green Energy Development Corporation, Odisha - 50 MW
5. Tata Power Solar Systems, Madhya Pradesh - 50 MW

Solar power can be installed on unproductive and barren land with a high solar irradiation. These solar power plants need to be connected to the grid, which needs to be arranged by state-run electrical utility agencies. Or, micro grids can be established in the areas surrounding solar power plants and the electricity can be used right there. Micro grids are an efficient way to utilize power as transmission losses are minimized. 

The requirement of land for solar power projects (6 acres per MW) is similar to other utilities like coal-fired power plants and hydro-electric power plants. Solar power plants are not dependent on supply of raw materials as they receive free sunlight from the sun. Although land availability is a challenge, people are approaching this challenge in interesting ways by co-locating solar panels along with wind energy projects, on the top of roofs of residential and commercial buildings, and even on the top of canals which has an additional benefit of reducing water loss due to evaporation. 

The Govt. of India has been encouraging solar projects and solar power plants through various schemes and incentives for power producers, large organizations and even individual houses. There is subsidy for solar lanterns and solar pumps for the rural and agricultural sector; there is subsidy for solar water heaters and solar power plants for individual houses; there is acceleration depreciation, capital depreciation, assured power purchase agreements and renewable energy certificates for commercial organizations. 

As you can see, solar energy has already created a good impact in India, and the demand for solar power is going to only increase and become more popular in the near future. Solar energy has a lot of potential in India and everyone should unite to create an even larger impact that would satiate our power requirements while not harming the nature.

Read more about Solar Power in India from this Wikipedia article.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

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Solar Panels spotted at Poompuhar!

Poompuhar is a remote coastal village in Tamil Nadu and I went there recently for a tour. It used to be an important port, but most of this erstwhile town has drowned into the ocean now. They have constructed a light house and one of the buildings inside the light house complex had solar panels installed on the top. I took the above picture from atop the light house, as visitors are allowed to climb it.

I was glad that solar panels have reached small remote villages. It also makes sense for them to go solar because the power supply in such places is generally sporadic and unreliable. Along with a battery, they can at least power some important electrical appliances when there is no power. I hope solar power reaches more villages and towns where the power supply is not reliable. 

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Renewable Energy India Expo Noida from Sept. 23-25: Opening Today!

One of the major renewable energy exhibitions in India, Renewable Energy India Expo 2015 Edition, is open for public visits from today. It will be held from September 23 to 25 at India Expo Center, Greater Noida. Exhibition entry is free for everyone, but conference sessions are ticketed. The exhibition venue will be open from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.

The organizers are expecting more than 550 exhibitors in the fields of renewable energy (solar, wind, bio, geothermal, energy efficiency & smart grids) from more than ten countries. This exhibition is held at a business space of 25,000 sq. meters and more than 16,000 foreign visitors are expected to attend. 

They also have conferences and other interesting events like startup pavilion, world of innovation, business matching, business plan competition, workshops, etc. lined up during these three days. 

There is a free mobile app that you can download to get all the latest information about this expo, and the organizers have arranged for a free shuttle from major locations in Delhi to the exhibition venue. Do attend, if your business is in the field of renewable energy, and if you are in/around Delhi on any of these days. You can learn about the latest technologies and products that are available in the international/domestic market and how dealers/customers can benefit from them.

Further Information: Renewable Energy India Expo website.

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World's first fully Solar-powered Airport @ Kochi, India

The world's first fully solar-powered airport will be inaugurated on coming Tuesday, August 18, 2015 by the Honorable Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri. Oomman Chandy at Kochi International Airport. The new 12 MWp solar power plant has been commissioned by Bosh India - Bosch Energy & Building Solutions. This will augment the already existing 1 MWp solar power plant, in the international airport premises. 

The Kochi International Airport's requirement of 50,000 units per day is estimated to be fully met by the new solar power plant, and excess energy will be sold to the state electricity board. The new solar plant has been commissioned over 45 acres of land and comes at an investment of roughly 62 Crores.

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Urban Tree Green Homes & Blogger's Meet

I went to a Blogger's meet organized by Urban Tree Constructions and echoVME in Chennai, last Saturday. Here, as usual, there were some events like quiz & adzap but the presentation by Urban Tree Constructions about Green Homes in Chennai, and how they are striving to make their properties (residential apartments) more green, impressed me much. In the above photo, you can see the CEO of Urban Tree addressing the gathering of Bloggers. 

Here are some highlights on Urban Tree's Green Home Initiatives:

• They use heat-reducing glass panels instead of normal glass panels (that allow all the heat to get in). This reduces the amount of air-conditioning necessary to cool the houses. 
• They use low VOC paints that have reduced lead (and other chemicals) that are harmful. 
• They use solid concrete blocks made with fly ash, which is a waste product from other industries. 
• Recycled water from sewage treatment plant is used for flushing and gardening. 
• Rainwater from terrace is collected and used for irrigation. 
• They have fixed Aerators and other water-saving fixtures, reducing water consumption.
• They use larger windows so that more light comes in and the requirement for daytime lighting is reduced. 
• Walls are gypsum-plastered, so heat coming in from outside is reduced. 
• LED lights (in common areas) and CFL bulbs reduce electricity consumption. 
• Thermal roof insulation tiles reflect sunlight and reduce heat penetrating inside. 
• Waste segregation and management/recycling processes are followed. 
• Landscaping around the apartments, including over one-lakh saplings planted in one of their apartments (Oxygen) helps maintain greenery and a more pleasant appearance/climate. 
• IGBC Green Buildings Certification enables standards-based compliance to green homes. 
• CFC-free air conditioning reduces ozone pollution. 

I spoke to their CEO for a short time and upon my suggestion, he said he will consider Solar Water Heaters for their properties in the future. Yay!! :)

For further information on Green Apartments in Chennai, refer to Urban Tree website. 

Disclaimer: All information given here are based on what was communicated to me on that day and what was written on their brochures. I have not verified any claims made above and hence encourage readers to do their own evaluation/verification before buying anything. This website is not affiliated with Urban Tree Homes in anyway and this blog post is for your information only. Readers should refer to the vendor's website for latest info/changes.

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Let us raise our Voice against Dirty Power #AbMontuBolega

With increasing population, our energy needs are only going to multiply. While we may not be able to decrease our energy consumption in the near future, we can at least ensure that we consume energy efficiently, and use renewable energy for our power requirements. 

Why burn more coal and oil? Don't you think we have already created enough pollution? Don't you think we have already done enough damage to the air, water, and earth? As responsible citizens, should we not raise our voice against dirty power. Is it not our responsibility to make sure that all of us use clean energy as much as possible?

Why should we destroy forests, cut trees for firewood? Why should we pollute the earth by burning coal? Why should we fight our brothers and pay a huge price for extracting and distributing oil? Why should we continue damaging the earth & ourselves? Why should our future generations pay for our inefficiencies and wrong choices? 

Think of the conditions in which labor is made to work in coal/petroleum industries. Think of how much their work environment - involved in extracting coal from mines deep down the earth, or petroleum, deep down the ocean. Why should our brothers suffer health ailments? So that we can live a comfortable life?

Imagine the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere due to burning coal/oil. Global warming is real and will affect each and every one of us before our lifetime. Temperature of the earth is rising and low lying areas are already submerging into water. Polluting energy sources are a big source of carbon emissions. 

Renewable Energy has developed to such a state that it is possible to power the entire earth using green energy, today. It maybe expensive compared to polluting energy forms, but we cannot attach a price to healthier and happier living, attainable through renewable energy. It is important that people collectively demand that to happen, in order for the political powers to make it happen. 

It is easy to keep moving as we are, currently. But at some point, all our polluting energy resources are going to get exhausted or they will be so short in supply that it will become insanely expensive. Green technologies, including renewable energy, will be much sought after in teh future, and hence it makes a lot of sense to adopt, invest in them, from today.

It's easy to turn a blind eye, but it's important for each one of us to promote green technologies that will make our lives better along with bettering the lives of our children and future generations. We should not only speak out against what we know is not the best option, but we should also set a personal example by adopting technologies like solar panels, micro wind turbines, etc. to power our homes, so that all our neighbors can become inspired by our positive actions, and follow us too. 

If any of you head organizations, or are in decision making capacities, you should make sure to install renewable energy technologies to supply power to your facilities. This is not only possible today, but in many cases, feasible and better than grid connected power supply, today. If we take those small steps, slowly, the Government will also ensure than green technologies will power the grid. They are already promoting renewable energy in their offices and facilities, and are offering subsidies for private organizations to adopt green energy. But it's the people's enthusiasm and popular demand that will power this world through renewabels.

Strepsils India has launched a campaign that enables everyone to raise their voice to create a Cleaner India/Swach Bharat. You can visit the links below to know more about the campaign and Participate in the same.

There are places that need cleaning, people who deserve your attention & authorities who need to hear your opinions! Don’t be a silent spectator. Raise your voice and make a difference. Let's raise our voice and work towards a Swach Bharath!

#AbMontuBolega Campaign. Make your voice heard!
Visit - AbMontuBolega campaign site, Facebook page, Twitter.

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