China will provide financial subsidies of 26.5 billion yuan ($4.2 billion) to stimulate the consumption of energy-saving products, mainly automobiles and household appliances, said the State Council.

The green measure also aims to expand domestic demand in a bid to provide stable growth for the world's second-largest economy. The subsidy will be available for household appliances including air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines for one year.

Kerala State Industrial Enterprises (KSIE), a public sector unit, will tie up with the UN to spearhead a major drive aimed at reducing the State's carbon footprint.

The idea is to get the State rid itself of kerosene lamps that lit up the rural landscape and replace them with light-emitting diode (LED) lamps.
FIRST STATE

If implemented, Kerala will become the first State to get rid of the kerosene lamp. This will also lead to significant fuel savings, Mr M. C. Mayin Haji, chairman, and Mr Febi Varghese, managing director, KSIE, told Business Line.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is faced with the catch-22 situation after the National Accountability Bureau has raised 22 objections on the transparency of the Rs.6.5 billion LED streetlights project. “We raised 22 objections on the tendering process as well as CDA’s objectives behind launching this multibillion rupees project,” said NAB Spokesman Zafar Iqbal.

VELLORE: In an effort to provide better visibility to motorists and road users at night, the Vellore Police Department has installed barricades fitted with solar-powered lights and blinkers at major junctions in the Fort City.

The new barricades have been installed at three major junctions - Makkan, Ariyabhavan and Mummy Hospital - Officers Lane. “Three solar powered barricades, each worth `80,000, are sponsored by a private company.

Kochi Corporation is in the process of installing energy efficient street lights on selected stretches of roads. To begin with, LED lights will be installed on MG Road and Marine Drive. The corporation had invited tenders for the same and the process of selection is expected to be completed soon.

Mayor Tony Chammany told The Hindu that the corporation is adopting a policy in favour of energy savings. More measures aimed at energy conservation will be taken in due course of time.

A prize-winning, super-energy-saving LED bulb from Dutch electronics giant Philips said to last over 20 years went on sale on Sunday to coincide with Earth Day.

The bulb that won the US Department of Energy’s ‘Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize’ was available from retailers for $50, down from an initial $60 price tag. The company said it was planning discounts to bring the cost down to as little as $25. \

NGO City Connect gives design inputs to Chennai Corporation

Residents of the city may soon have more recreation spaces at an unlikely venue – beneath flyovers. The Chennai Corporation has planned to turn untidy, unused areas beneath all its flyovers into vibrant public spaces. Accepting many of the proposals made by a consultant City Connect, an NGO, for optimum use of space beneath five flyovers at a meeting on Thursday, the civic body decided to cover all the flyovers in the city under the beautification scheme.

If you think nothing good can come out of the scorching summer heat, think again. Gujarati Kelvani Mandal’s Amulakh Amichand High School at Matunga is harnessing solar energy to generate 10%-15% power and thus, reduce the electricity bills. “We want to provide first-hand knowledge of renewable energy not only to our students, but other schoolchildren too.We are inviting schools to learn about solar panels,” said Dinesh Shah, member of the managing council.

Subsidy for the scheme increased by 10 per cent

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has enhanced its support to a Central Government scheme to promote solar power. To promote commercial marketing of solar accessories, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), had launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission with subsidy for solar lighting and small capacity photovoltaic systems, which would be routed through NABARD.

All government offices in Karnataka will soon turn green. As part of the process of implementation of the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), all government buildings will be modified to be energy efficient, a government official said.