World IP day - Govt announces 3-year fee waiver for sports-related IP registrations (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Minimum default threshold u/s 4 is met in case involving operational debt denominated in foreign currency, if foreign currency amount is converted into Indian Rupees with reference to exchange rate prevailing on date of invoice: NCLT (See 'Legal Desk') Govt organizes workshop on developing critical minerals value chain (See 'Corp Brief') Competition Act - Tender conditions & eligibility criteria are primarily within procurer's domain and, absent evidence that such clauses restricts competition or cause exclusionary harm, no intervention is warranted: CCI (See 'Legal Desk') TRAI releases Consultation Paper on 'Proliferation of Public Wi-Fi Networks in India' (See 'Corp Brief') DoP and DTDC sign MoU to strengthen Logistics and E-Commerce in India (See 'Corp Brief') Trade Mark - Defendants' conduct of running a coordinated fraudulent recruitment scheme, impersonating the plaintiffs & extracting money from each candidate, is deliberate exploitation of plaintiffs' goodwill & causes reputational harm: HC (See 'Legal Desk') PDUNASS-Gujarat NLU launch Programme on Labour Law and Social Security Compliance (See 'Corp Brief') Shivraj to launch PMGSY-IV Batch-II in Srinagar (See 'Corp Brief') India emphasises Inclusive and Ecosystem Based Governance of Small Scale Fisheries (See 'Corp Brief') SAFEMA - Certain transaction falls within ambit of benami transaction where appellants failed to produce supporting material, despite opportunity, to establish legitimate source of funds either in hands of lender or alleged contributors: SAFEMA TRIBUNAL (See 'Legal Desk') Diaspora vital connectors between India and global innovation ecosystems: MoS (See 'Corp Brief') Srinagar Khel Sankalp affirms unified commitment to athlete-centric sports ecosystem (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - If corporate debtor is solvent & functioning company, then insolvency process invoked only to secure payment of individual dues by initiation of CIRP, amounts to misuse of IBC as recovery mechanism: SC (See 'Legal Desk') Reining in Misuse of IBC for Recovery (See CORP EINSICHT) SAMAVESH Portal, NMBA 2.0, SETU and SMILE Beggary Apps Launched at Chandigarh Shivir (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - Attachment of a residential property upheld where Act itself permits attachment not only of property directly acquired from proceeds of crime, but also of untainted property representing equivalent value where actual proceeds of crime are unavailable or untraceable: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Veep urges Youth to become Job Creators and Nation-Builders (See 'Corp Brief') CCIC launches 'Soul Threads' - A Heritage Designer Collection Celebrating Artisanal Legacy (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - If statutory authority, during subsistence of moratorium u/s 14, directs bank to place lien on bank accounts of Corporate Debtor, and bank acts on same, it would amount to execution against Corporate Debtor and is barred by Sec 14: NCLT (See 'Legal Desk')

Biomass mixed with coal not to impact thermal plant efficiency: Research

Published: Jul 25, 2024

By TIOLCorplaws News Service

NEW DELHI, JULY 25, 2024: AFTER studies, it has been established that 5% to 10% of biomass can be safely mixed with coal in Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) without any adverse impact on the thermal power plant.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing a "Renewable Energy Research and Technology Development Programme (RE-RTD)" through various research institutions and industry to develop indigenous technologies and manufacturing for widespread applications of new and renewable energy in efficient and cost-effective manner. It provides up to 100% financial support to government/non-profit research organizations and up to 70% to industry, startups, private institutes, entrepreneurs, and manufacturing units.

The following eforts are being made to check the adverse effect caused by coal being used as a source of energy to the environment:

Efforts being made by Coal Companies -

Coal companies are deploying modern equipment having environment friendly features, like Surface Miners, Rippers for blast-less overburden removal, Continuous miner in Underground mines, High Wall mining for blast less coal mining, etc.

Coal companies have taken steps to upgrade the mechanized coal transportation and loading system under 'First Mile Connectivity' projects to minimize road transportation.

The dust is controlled at source by installation of fixed sprinklers and plantation in the mine lease area.

Controlled blasting techniques for reduction of dust generation and ground

vibration during blasting operations.

Roads are concrete/ black-topped, coal carrying trucks are optimally loaded and covered with tarpaulin. Dedicated coal corridors have been developed for coal transportation.

Solar and Wind Power plants are being established with a view to achieve Net Zero target and replace use of coal for generating power.

Efforts being made by Thermal Power Plants -

Biomass Co-firing - Ministry of Power has issued a policy on utilization of Biomass for Power generation through co-firing in coal based power plants. The policy mandates 5-7% co-firing of Biomass primarily of agro residue with coal, after assessing the technical feasibility. This has helped in reducing reliance of TPPs on coal and mitigate air pollution caused due to stubble burning, to some extent. As of June 2024, 8.14 lakh tonnes of cumulative Biomass have been co-fired pan India resulting in reduction of about 0.97 Million Tonnes of CO 2 emissions from Thermal

Power Plants.

Reduction of Stack Emissions - MoEF&CC vide notification dated 07.12.2015 and its subsequent amendments has noti?ed norms in respect of reducing stack emissions such as Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), SOx & NOx from coal based Thermal Power Plants. To meet these standards, Thermal Power Plants are using techniques like Electro Static Precipitator (ESP), Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD), NOx Combustion Modification etc.

Installation of efficient Ultra Supercritical/Supercritical Units - Promotion of installation of efficient Ultra Supercritical/Supercritical units over Subcritical Thermal Units as these units are more efficient and their emission per unit of electricity generation is less than subcritical units. A total capacity of Supercritical/ Ultra-supercritical units of 65,290 MW (94 Units) and 4,240 MW (06 units) have been commissioned respectively till 30.06.2024.

The inefficient and old thermal power plants having capacity of about 18,802.24 MW comprising 267 units have already been retired till 30.06.2024.

NTPC Ltd. has commissioned 20 Tonnes Per Day (TPD) capacity Pilot Carbon Capture Project at Vindhyachal.

Efforts being made by Department of Science and Technology (DST) -

To reduce the emission intensity and enhance the efficiency of the coal based thermal power plants, development of Advanced Ultra Super Critical (AUSC) Technology has been undertaken and its development is underway. Department of Science and Technology (DST) has established two National Centres for Development of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Processes for Clean Coal Technologies for Thermal Power Plant applications in a consortium mode involving academic and research institutes. The main direction of research & development is to improve the life of critical components used in thermal power plants as well as e?cient fabrication methods of components using advanced coating and manufacturing technologies.

This information was given by Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Lok Sabha yesterday.

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