Renewable Energy, Clean Energy, Wind - GS questions based on daily current affairs

ANSWER: Area with more renewable energy generation than needed to sustain the area

Explanation:

• The terms ‘carbon zero’, ‘carbon neutral’, ‘zero energy’ or ‘zero emission’ apply to buildings that use renewable energy sources on site to generate energy for their operation, so that over a year the net amount of energy generated on site equals the net amount of energy required by the building.
• Carbon positive moves beyond carbon zero by making additional ‘positive’ or ‘net export’ contributions by producing more energy on site than the building requires and feeding it back to the grid.
• Carbon positive projects can make significant contributions by helping to address the carbon intensity and damaging impacts of past building practices and lifestyles, and by offsetting situations where carbon zero homes are not possible.
• Also in such areas carbon sequestration is more than carbon emissions and not just zero emissions.

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:

• The outcomes of new urban agenda based on sustainable urban planning would include reducing water and electricity use by 50 per cent from that of normal use, enabling over 60 per cent of urban travel by public transport, generating half of power from renewable sources, and promoting walking and cycling for last mile connectivity.
• Promoting natural drainage patterns, reducing waste generation of all kind and promoting greenery are some of the government agenda for sustainable urban development.
• Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister released the India Habitat III-National Report on World Habitat Day today, ahead of the UN Habitat III Conference in Quito, Ecuador later this month where a global new urban agenda for the next 20 years is going to be adopted.
• India’s strategy for urban development intends to give a big push to use growing urbanisation for rapid economic development while at the same time committing itself to address issues of sustainable development and climate change.

ANSWER: Mexico

Explanation:
United States, Canada and Mexico will generate half their overall electricity from clean energy by 2025, according to the White House

• This is an aggressive goal yet achievable continent wide
• In 2015, clean energy-wind, solar and hydropower plus nuclear power accounted for 37 percent of the three countries electricity
• In the United States, region’s largest electricity producer by far, clean energy generates around a third of the total output, placing it below Canada but ahead of Mexico
• The rise in the coming years will mostly be driven by renewables and energy efficiency
• Canadian cities use hydropower to generate 59 percent of electricity and nuclear power for another 16 percent
• Mexico will join an existing commitment by the US and Canada for reducing the methane production by 40-45 percent of its 2012 level by 2025

ANSWER: US

Explanation:
India and the United States committed themselves to establish the US-India Clean Energy Hub as the coordinating mechanism to focus on government efforts in the US in partnership with leading financial institutions to enhance renewable energy investment in India.

• The two nations also agreed on a US $40 million US-India Catalytic Solar Finance Programme equally supported by the US
• This includes cooperation with USAID on Greening the Grid and support to Indian utilities for scaling up use of rooftop solar equipment

ANSWER: San Francisco

Explanation:
World’s Energy Leaders to gather in San Francisco for the 7th Clean Energy Ministerial and Inaugural Mission Innovation Ministerial on June 1-2,2016.

• Energy Ministers from Nations with 90% of Clean Energy Investments and 75% of GHG Emissions to Focus on Advancing Clean Energy Cooperation and Implementing PRIS Agreement Commitments.

ANSWER: Tamil Nadu

Explanation:

• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing a programme to promote the installation of Small Wind Energy and Hybrid Systems (SWES) with the objective to provide electricity in un-electrified areas or areas with intermittent electric supply.
• The first- such Pilot-cum- demonstration project of 25 KW capacity will be installed at the wind turbine test station of National Institute of Wind Energy at Kayathar, Tootikudi District, Tamil Nadu.
• The success of programme would lead towards launching of National Programme on Grid connected small wind and solar hybrid system in future.
• The SWES projects have been highly successful in USA and European countries.
• Under the programme, MNRE provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to community users for installation of such systems. The total installed capacity as on 31st March 2016 is 2.69 MW.

ANSWER: Mega Watt To Giga Watt – Making The Sun Brighter, Even At Night

Explanation:
Ministry of New & Renewable Energy will be showcasing its various activities and initiatives for the first time in Republic Day Parade. The Theme of display is “Mega Watt To Giga Watt – Making The Sun Brighter, Even At Night”. The tableau highlights its ambitious project of renewable energy capacity target of 175 GW to be achieved by the year 2022. All systems on the tableau are being run by the energy produced through the solar panels and energy stored in a device called Eco grid. The new and renewable energy sources have been accepted universally as the foremost choice for being clean, non-polluting and inexhaustible sources of energy. Being environment-friendly, they preserve nature, promote greenery, health, happiness and prosperity for the mankind. India has announced a very ambitious renewable energy capacity target of 175 GW by 2022. We already have an impressing cumulative existing installed capacity of approximately 38 GW of solar, wind, small hydro and bio-energy. The vision 2022 of achieving the installed capacity of 175 GW, aims to transform India through rapid strides in the renewable energy sector, job creation and skill development. To meet these targets, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is spearheading research and technology development in new areas such as ocean, tidal energy, hydrogen, etc.

ANSWER: Hydel

Explanation:
- Wind currently accounts for 8.63%, Nuclear for 2.13%, Hydel for 15.19%, and solar for 1.38%
- Coal currently accounts for 54 percent of installed generation capacity and some 69 percent in actual production.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- Electricity Act, 2003 for governing renewable energy sector will be replaced by proposed Renewable Energy Act.
- The act will also establish National Renewable Energy Fund (NREF) with corpus of over Rs.17,000 crore.
- The NREF would be used for supporting all the objectives of the Act.
- It mentions funding for R&D, resource assessment, demonstrations and pilot projects, low cost financing, investments for skills development, supporting RE technology manufacturing, infrastructure development, promoting all forms of decentralised renewable energy.
- The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy “may offer a starting corpus” to such State Green Fund(s) from the National Renewable Energy Fund.

ANSWER: Waive transmission charges for electricity generated from renewable sources

Explanation:
For providing clean energy projects in the nation, government has taken the decision to waive transmission charges for energy from renewable sources according to Union Minister Shri Piyush Goel. A legal framework will be brought out where all inter state transmission of renewable energy will be at no cost. Therefore, renewable energy will not be charged for transmission across the nation. Government has also sanctioned contracts worth INR 38,000 crore via competitive bidding for green corridors.