Category Archives: Green Products

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL: EV : Yamaha Motor leads $40 million funding in e-scooter startup River

The company entered the domestic EV market with its first e-scooter, Indie, in October last year, and in January it opened its first River store in Bengaluru.

Electric scooter startup River on Tuesday announced it has raised USD 40 million (Rs 335 crore) in Series B funding led by Japan’s Yamaha Motor Co, Ltd. The funds will be utilised for scaling up the distribution and service network, among others.

“The investment is a significant boost for our plan to build a billion dollar global utility-lifestyle brand by 2030. We have built a great base in R&D and manufacturing over the last two years and now, it’s time to grow,” said Aravind Mani, Co-founder and CEO of River.

The company entered the domestic EV market with its first e-scooter, Indie, in October last year, and in January it opened its first River store in Bengaluru.

The Series B funding round also saw participation from existing investors Al-Futtaim Automotive, Lowercarbon Capital, Toyota Ventures and Maniv Mobility, River said.

With the latest capital infusion, the total funding secured by the company since its inception in March 2021 stands at USD 68-million (Rs 565 crores), according to River.

With this funding, the company plans to scale the distribution and service network across the country and invest further in R&D for future lineup of products.

“The collaboration with Yamaha will help us leverage the design and technology capability that we have built at River.”, said Vipin George, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, River.

The company said its maiden e-scooter, Indie, has been fully designed and developed at its R&D facility in Bengaluru and manufactured at its Hoskote manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

IIT-Guwahati’s PhD scholar clinches best product design at Vishwakarma Awards 2023 for groundbreaking water quality monitoring system

Satyam, a PhD Scholar in the department of biosciences and bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-Guwahati), recently achieved a significant feat by securing the “Best Product Design” award in the Water and Sanitation category at the prestigious Vishwakarma Awards 2023.

The competition, organized by the IIT-Delhi in collaboration with Maker Bhavan Foundation and the WIN Foundation, aimed to recognize and support innovative minds in technology from science and engineering colleges across India. The theme for 2023 focused on water and sanitation, clean technology and smart mobility. Satyam’s winning device, R-SAM-PRO, is an IoT-enabled water quality monitoring system that outshines existing devices in terms of cost-effectiveness and integration with the Internet of Things (IoT).

Prof. Sanjukta Patra, from the department of biosciences and bioengineering at IIT-Guwahati, congratulated Satyam, acknowledging his dedication and innovation in developing the IoT-enabled water monitoring system. She praised the project for its technological advancement, reflecting a profound understanding of the challenges faced in water resource management, particularly in developing nations. The system’s affordability, accessibility, and real-time data transmission capabilities were highlighted as not only showcasing technical prowess but also a commitment to societal betterment.

The R-SAM-PRO device distinguishes itself by comprehensively addressing critical water and sanitation needs through technological innovation, integrating IoT, multiple sensors, and AI readiness for advanced water quality monitoring. Its real-time data provision is deemed crucial for environmental conservation and resource management. The device’s affordability and user-friendly design make it highly accessible, with the potential for widespread adoption, especially in resource-limited settings, significantly enhancing water quality monitoring practices.

Satyam shared his inspiration behind the innovation, emphasizing the critical issue of water pollution in developing countries. He expressed the aim of empowering communities and authorities for effective water resource management through the provision of a cost-effective, multi-parametric, IoT-enabled solution.

Key features of the award-winning IoT-enabled real-time water monitoring system include integrated GPS for precise location tracking, diverse sensors for comprehensive water quality analysis, an ESP32 Microprocessor for efficient processing and communication, a hybrid power system for adaptability, AI integration for enhanced data analysis, and advanced data retrieval for user-friendly interactions.

Looking ahead, the innovators plan to enhance the device over the next 1 to 7 months by integrating more sensors, ensuring market readiness with necessary certifications and approvals. They aspire to expand their impact, reaching a broader audience, and contributing significantly to sustainable water resource management on a global scale.

source/content: timesofindia.indiatimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: RESEARCH: National Institute of Technology-Warangal (NIT-W) Faculty Members Develop Innovative Wastewater Treatment System for Textile Industry Effluents

The brains behind this sustainable innovation — Prof Shirish Sonawane, Dr Murali Mohan Seepana, Dr Ajey Kumar Patel and Malkapuram Surya Teja — started working on the project in 2019.

While the textile industry helps many across the state earn their livelihoods, the chemical effluents from the units affect the lives of people living in the vicinity. To address this, a team of faculty members at the National Institute of Technology, Warangal (NIT-W), has developed an environment-friendly hybrid wastewater treatment system for textile industry effluents.

The brains behind this sustainable innovation — Prof Shirish Sonawane, Dr Murali Mohan Seepana, Dr Ajey Kumar Patel and Malkapuram Surya Teja — started working on the project in 2019.

According to Prof Sonawane, conventional methods involve the extensive use of chemicals. However, in order to reduce pollution levels to permissible limits of discharge, the team put forward a combination of coagulation, hydrodynamic cavitation (HC)-based oxidation system and a ceramic membrane (CM)-based filtration process. In the course of the coagulation process, the turbidity of the effluents is removed. Meanwhile, HC, a process involving the generation and collapse of microbubbles in a liquid, is employed afterwards to initiate the breakdown/mineralisation of complex organic compounds.

In place of polymeric membranes, the novel methodology uses ceramic membranes. “After two years, polymeric membranes need to be discarded. It becomes solid waste,” he adds.

As per the innovators, the integrated system achieved an 80% reduction in organic pollutants. The use of ceramic membranes makes the methodology more sustainable, he mentions. The surface-modified CM further improves filtration efficiency, ensuring the removal of even finer particles and impurities.

The team has filed three patents — two for the processes and one for design — for the cost-effective technology.

Elaborating on the hurdles they faced, Surya Teja says the textile pollutants are very stubborn in nature. “To degrade the pollutants, we have to remove the turbidity in the initial phase. That was the challenging task,” he says.

The second hurdle in front of the team was the soluble nature of dyes. “Even after the advanced oxidation process, there will be remnants of dyes in the water,” he adds.

Speaking to TNIE, NIT-W director Prof Bidyadhar Subudhi underlines the need for HEIs to come up with sustainable innovations. “A lot of the research coming from IITs and NITs are primarily on sustainable generation of energy. The expected outcome from different institutes towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals is a big challenge,” he adds.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Ayodhya to get world’s largest ‘solar powered street lights line’ , set Guinness record

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision to transform Ayodhya into a solar city is about to get a boost through establishment of the world’s largest ‘solar powered street lights line’, with the installation of 470 solar street lights over an area of 10.2 km city between Guptar Ghat and Nirmali Kund.

The unique feat will also see Ayodhya find entry into the the Guinness Book of World Records once again, with the earlier one taking place during Deepotsav with the lighting of the highest number of earthen lamps.

Under the guidance of CM Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has already completed approximately 70 per cent of the installation work, while the remaining 160 solar street lights will be installed before January 22.

Ayodhya UPNEDA project officer Praveen Nath Pandey said here on Tuesday that by January 22, a world record will be set in the temple city with the installation of 470 solar street lights in a 10.2 km stretch from Lakshman Ghat to Guptar Ghat, extending up to Nirmali Kund.

He added that under the project, 310 solar lights have been installed from Lakshman Ghat to Guptar Ghat, while work is ongoing to install 160 solar-powered street lights in the stretch between Guptar Ghat and Nirmali Kund, covering a distance of 1.85 km. All these solar-powered street lights are LED-based, operating at 4.4 watts, and equipped with smart technology. Through their installation, the 10.2 km stretch from Lakshman Ghat to Nirmali Kund will be illuminated with a radiant glow.

The world record that the state government aims to break through a solar energy-powered project is currently registered in the name of Malham of Saudi Arabia, where 468 solar-powered lights were installed over a stretch of 9.7 km in 2021. Now, the Yogi government is gearing up to surpass this record in Ayodhya by installing 470 solar-powered lights in an area spanning 10.2 km.

Earlier, Ayodhya got listed in the Guinness Book of World Records during Diwali in 2023, when 25,000 volunteers from Avadh University lit 22.23 lakh lamps together at the ghats of river Sarayu.

Discussions are underway between the local administration, officials of UPNEDA, and representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records in this context.

source/content: thestatesman.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HORTICULTURE: ROSES : 40th All India Rose Convention and Rose Show at KIIT, Odisha

The 40th All India Rose Convention and Rose Show got off to a colourful start at the KIIT campus with the unveiling of four new varieties of rose on Friday.

The four new rose varieties, Lord Jagannath, Lord Lingaraj, Sephali and Radha, were unveiled by KIIT & KISS founder Dr Achyuta Samanta.

Dr Samanta highlighted the significance of the rose, tracing its origins 3.3 million years back and acknowledging its revered position as the king of flowers.

The three-day convention is a collaborative effort of the KIIT Rose Society in association with the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Orissa Horticulture Society, and Directorate of Horticulture, Department of Agriculture, Government of Odisha.

The rose exhibition is open for the public from 9 am to 6 pm on January 6 and 7.

source/content: dailypioneer.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION : NATIONAL: Meghalaya’s Smart Village Project Clinches Global Recognition at World Innovation Conference, Bilbao, Spain

Meghalaya’s smart village project has been acclaimed at the World Innovation Conference.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma announced on December 11 that the state’s Smart Village project secured the third-place honor at the prestigious World Open Innovation Conference held in Bilbao, Spain. The accolade was bestowed upon the project for its exceptional Best Practice Implementation.

Sangma took to the microblogging site X on December 11 to share the exciting news, highlighting the remarkable achievement on the global stage. The project’s recognition underlines Meghalaya’s commitment to pioneering innovative solutions to address pressing challenges.

The Smart Village project’s award-winning presentation focused on groundbreaking healthcare initiatives that employed a triple helix collaboration, integrating enterprise creation and frontier technologies. The conference, known for bringing together practitioners from industry, institutions, and individuals worldwide, served as a platform for Meghalaya to showcase its strides in adopting cutting-edge approaches to address healthcare challenges.

Expressing his elation, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma stated the significance of the collaboration with UC Berkeley in fostering new innovations.

Edited By: Bikash Chetry

source/content: indiatodayne.in / India Today NE / Home> News> Meghalaya / December 11th, 2023

INTERNATIONAL: GREEN INITIATIVES: IIT Mandi Wins ‘Green University’ Award at COP28 UAE

IIT Mandi’s overall goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve zero carbon emissions within the next 10 years.

The Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi) has been honored with the Prestigious Green University Award in COP 28 UAE. This award was conferred by Green Mentors, a non-governmental organization holding special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in the United States.

At the global level, this recognition was attributed at the prestigious CoP 28 platform.

IIT Mandi claims its vision is to raise awareness among young students and campus residents about environmental issues, as well as the conservation of nature and natural resources in the surrounding area. To maintain ecological balance, IIT Mandi is actively engaged in conducting Environment Audits, implementing Green Audits, promoting vegetarian food options on campus, the institute said.

IIT Mandi’s overall goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve zero carbon emissions within the next 10 years. Also, the institution aims to create a model framework for an eco-conscious campus and explore revenue generation through carbon trading.

“This achievement is the result of the unwavering efforts, commitment, and groundwork carried out by the faculty, staff, and student community through various activities,” said Prof. Laxmidhar Behera, Director, IIT Mandi.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: UN COP28: Two Indian Women Sangitaben Rathod and Jasumatiben Jethabai Parma Illuminate at Global Climate Talks in Dubai with Traditional Solutions to Fight Climate Change

Wearing desi clothes, Sangitaben Rathod and Jasumatiben Jethabai Parmar have boldly stepped into the limelight at the global climate talks here, bringing with them potent traditional solutions to tackle climate change.

The two women — Rathod, from Naganamoth, and Parmar from Simej, both in Gujarat – who had never ventured beyond their home state before, showcased practical climate resilience solutions that are making waves on the international stage.

heir traditional wisdom involves using neem leaves and cow urine to create organic fertilizers and insecticides – an innovative practice that has not only sustained their crops for years but is now being adopted by women farmers across India, offering a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers.

“I decided to look for local solutions after incurring huge losses due to climate change. I lost over Rs 1.5 lakh in wheat crops in 2019. After that, we started looking at the problem and we realised pest attacks had considerably increased due to the changing climate and commercial insecticides were failing. It was then that we thought of turning to the traditional solutions our forefathers used – neem leaves and cow urine,” Rathod, 28 said.

“Then the solution we shared with the Self Employed Women’s Association and they empowered us to train communities based on our solution,” Parmar, 63, added.

On what they wish to expect on the global platform, Rathod said she hopes the solutions they have implemented can be shared with a wider audience and also make the negotiators realise the impact women in India are bearing due to climate change and how we need help.

Alongside her, Jasumatiben said, “Our seemingly simple traditions hold the key to a sustainable future.”

Amidst the formal suits of international bureaucrats, Sangitaben and Jasumatiben actively participated, and passionately advocated for reduced insecticide and pesticide usage by integrating cow urine and neem leaves into farming practices during the gender-themed discussion that took place during the UN COP28 on Monday.

Sangitaben and Jasumatiben also shared their insights with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, shedding light on the challenges faced by Indian women workers due to climate shocks.

Reema Nanavaty, Director of Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), highlighted the challenges faced by Indian women workers due to climate shocks.

Nanavaty elaborated on the difficulties encountered by those involved in street vending, construction, and other labour-intensive occupations.

“I think there’s an urgent need for this Global Climate Resilience Fund for women, especially in India. This will be the first of its kind, a fund for the Global South, and this is a bottom-up fund,” Nanavaty emphasised, aligning with Clinton’s call for a targeted and comprehensive initiative to address the impact of extreme heat on women workers in India.

Nanavaty pointed out the urgent need for actionable solutions and advocated for a unified appeal for global collaboration to create a sustainable and resilient future for women in India and beyond.

The global climate talks are taking place in Dubai and have seen participation from over 100,000 people from 198 countries. PTI UZM NSA AKJ

(This story was produced as part of the 2023 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.) NSA

source/content: ptinews.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: AGRICULTURE / VEGETABLES : ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) helps Grow Multiple Vegetables in One Plant

Imagine planting one plant and getting multiple vegetables from it for your kitchen needs.

Scientists at ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi are now working on a new single plant that will yield three vegetables simultaneously- brinjal, tomato and chilli.

The new plant is yet to be named.

The scientists had earlier developed ‘Pomato’ that yields potatoes and tomatoes on a single plant and ‘Brimato’ that yields brinjal and tomatoes together.

Using the grafting technique, the scientists at ICAR-IIVR, first developed ‘Pomato’.

Under the guidance of IIVR director Dr T.K. Behera, Dr Anant Bahadur, principal scientist (vegetable) and head division of crop production at ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi is now working on developing this unique single plant to yield three veggies.

“The grafting of chilli and tomato plants has been done on the brinjal rootstock and the plant is growing well. We are quite hopeful that it will start yielding chilli, brinjal and tomatoes by the end of January 2024,” said Dr Bahadur.

He said that he would analyse the feasibility of its cultivation.

Speaking about ‘Pomato’, Dr Bahadur said, “Potato tubers were germinated. Then grafting of tomato plants was done on the germinated potato tubers. As per the need, the plant was irrigated from time to time. It grew well and bore tomatoes above ground and potatoes below the ground.”

‘Pomato’, as a single plate, yielded around three kg of tomatoes and around 1.25 kg of potatoes, he added.

Thereafter, in 2019, Dr Anant Bahadur with his team grafted both the brinjal and tomato hybrids on the Brinjal root stock tolerant to waterlogging and salinity.

In 2019, his team succeeded in getting the desired result. He said the ‘Brimato’ is capable of surviving in waterlogged conditions for four days, whereas a normal plant wilts and gets destroyed in such conditions within 24 hours.

In October, the plant was transplanted, and brinjals and tomatoes were harvested till March.

A single plant yields around 3 kg of tomatoes and 2.5 kgs of brinjals, said Dr Bahadur.

Dr Bahadur said, “The special plant, ‘Brimato’, yields tomatoes and brinjals. It can be grown in kitchen gardens, backyards and also in small fields.”

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES: IIT Madras develops Steam-based method to Sterilise Medical Equipment

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have developed a solar-thermal steam-based system that can help sterilise medical equipment in remote and rural areas, where access to electricity and water could be an issue.

The project, funded by the Department of Science and Technology, uses portable steam cylinders charged by renewable energy-based stations (like solar energy) that are placed strategically in rural areas for power generation, steam generation and other uses.

The team also designed special sterilisation chambers to utilise such portably stored steam and effectively sterilise the tools.

“A portable steam storage canister can be a great contribution by facilitating minor medical interventions in the developing world by sterilising surgical instruments and combating infections in rural areas,” said Prof. Sathyan Subbiah, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, in a statement.

“The portable canister is developed with multi-layer insulation, which can retain useful heat of steam, generated via solar plants for longer duration thus making it a viable option to sterilise equipment in remote areas. The steam that is produced in the solar plant or any other means can be stored in the portable canister which can be transported to remote locations to carry out the sterilisation activities,” he added.

Safe sterilisation of surgical instruments and other medical tools are important aspects in the health care sector. It involves cleaning and disinfecting the previously-used contaminated surgical tools before subsequent use. Steam sterilisation is one of the best disinfecting methods.

Currently, doctors carry with them a set of sterilised tools, which limits the number of patients they can see at the camp.

The project was demonstrated during a medical camp at IIT Madras campus on October 14, and is all set for further trials, following which it is intended to be deployed in the field.