The Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) is the nodal agency for planning, promotion, coordination and overseeing implementation of environmental policies and programmes in India.

The Ministry concentrates primarily on policy and program implementation related to conservation of natural resources -- lakes and rivers, biodiversity, forests and wildlife and prevention and abatement of pollution preferably, guided by the principle of sustainable development and enhancement of human well-being.

A set of legislative and regulatory measures are in place aimed at the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment. The National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and Development 1992, National Forest Policy 1988, Policy Statement on Abatement of Pollution 1992 and the National Environment Policy 2006 are a few guiding Ministry's tasks and objectives.

The Ministry has, through a couple of recent notifications and Office Memoranda embarked on a new thinking of its objectives and the trend focusing on a couple of priority issues seem to sharpen industrial thinking towards better options than the current conventional practices.

The paper attempts to look at the options for the power sector in the country in the light of the above notifications / Office Memorandum particularly, the coal based power generation which has been dominant ever since independence till date.

Environmental Acts

The Environment (Protection) Act enacted in 1986 empowers the Central Government to establish authorities charged with the mandate of preventing environmental pollution in all its forms and to tackle specific environmental problems that are peculiar to different parts of the country. The Act was last amended in 1991. This has been followed by various other acts -- Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act (1981); Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act (1974); Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act (1977); Public Liability Insurance Act 1991; National Environment Appellate Authority Act 1997; Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972; Forest Conservation Act 1980 and Biological Diversity Act 2002.

A. Environmental Guidelines for Siting of Industry -- August 1985

Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), in order to streamline locating industries which otherwise was considered on the basis of raw material availability, access to market, transport facilities and other techno-economic considerations, brought out guidelines to ensure optimum use of natural and man-made resources in a sustainable (which now, has become topmost priority) manner.

The areas to be avoided while locating industries include:

• A distance of 25kms from ecologically and / or otherwise sensitive areas

• At least half a kilometer from the High Tide Line (HTL) along the coastal areas

• Half a kilometer from flood plain or modified flood plain affected by dam in the upstream or by flood control system

• Half a kilometer from Highway and Railway

• In case of any major settlement notification within 50km at the time of siting an industry, at least 25km distance be maintained from the projected growth boundary of the settlement.

B. Environmental Impact Assessment

In addition to issuing the guidelines for siting of industries, MoEF brought a notification in January, 1994 -- "...expansion or modernization of any activity (if pollution load is to exceed the existing one, or new project listed in Schedule I to this notification, shall not be undertaken in any part of India unless it has been accorded environmental clearance by the Central Government in accordance with the procedure hereinafter specified in this notification."

C. Environmental Clearance Procedure -- 2006

Having evaluated several projects over more than a decade since 1994, MoEF realized the need to focus on 'potential environmental impact' rather than project investment and accordingly notified a new procedure for Environmental Clearance in September, 2006, the salient points of which are as under:

All projects and activities are broadly categorized in to two categories -- Category 'A' and Category 'B', based on the spatial extent of potential impacts and potential impacts on human health and natural and man-made resources.

• Category 'A' proposals (including expansion and modernization of existing projects or activities and change in product mix) are referred to the Central Government in the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Category 'B' to State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) before any construction work or preparation of land.

• A State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority hereinafter referred to as the SEIAA shall be constituted by the Central Government.

• The SEIAA shall base its decision on the recommendations of a State or Union territory level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC). In the absence of a duly constituted SEIAA or SEAC, a Category 'B' project shall be treated as a Category 'A' project.

The environmental clearance process for new projects will comprise of a maximum of four stages (please refer Fig. 1.), all of which may not apply to particular cases as set forth below in this notification. These four stages in sequential order are:

• Stage (1) Screening (Only for Category 'B' projects and activities)

• Stage (2) Scoping

• Stage (3) Public Consultation

• Stage (4) Appraisal

The notification has been strengthened with 'Model Terms of Reference (TOR)' for various sectors under the notification.

• Sectoral Manuals: Ten Sectoral Manuals ( Mining, Mineral Beneficiation, Ports and Harbors, Airports, Building Construction, Townships, Asbestos, Highways, Coal Washery, Aerial Ropeways, Nuclear Power Plant, Nuclear Fuel Processing and Nuclear Waste Management plants ) under EIA Notification, 2006 have been made available by MoEF on their web to facilitate smooth clearance of TORs without ambiguity and delay.

Although Environmental Clearance procedure 2006 had teething problems initially, it seems to have provided the desired inputs to the Ministry over the last four years to open up and focus on specific issues of importance. The Ministry has, through recent notifications brought about a new thinking:

• TOR Validity: MoEF vide its office memorandum dated March 22, 2010 has decided that from April 01, 2010, the prescribed TOR would be valid for a period of two years for submission of EIA / Environmental Management Plan ("EMP") reports, after public consultation wherever required. The same may be extended for the third year on the basis of proper justification and subject to approval by Expert Appraisal Committee / State Expert Appraisal Committee, as the case may be.

• Consideration of Expansion proposals: The proposals for expansion of projects in thermal power sector, to which Environmental Clearance ("EC") has been granted once, can be considered for environmental clearance for further expansion only if the implementation of earlier phase has commenced (March 22, 2010). In case environmental clearance for earlier phase is yet to be granted, the Project Proponent ("PP") shall have to apply afresh and submit a comprehensive proposal for the entire project by clubbing all the phases so that the environmental issues can be addressed in entirety.

• Air Quality: The Revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards (MAAQS) dated November 18, 2009 goes beyond the Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), Sulphur Dioxide, Oxides of Nitrogen and carbon dioxide to include 12 pollutants -- ozone, Benzene, Benzo(a)Pyrene, Arsenic and Nickel as additional. The standards prepared by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in consultation with Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur removing the distinction between industrial and residential areas aims to address public health protection more meaningfully.

• Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI): Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi have recently, carried out an environmental assessment of industrial clusters across the country based on Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) with the aim of identifying polluted industrial clusters and prioritizing planning needs for intervention to improve the quality of environment in these industrial clusters and the nation as a whole.

  The assessment so carried out has been documented in the form of a report entitled "Comprehensive Environmental Assessment of Industrial Clusters". In all 88 industrial clusters have been assessed.

  The report has concluded that the industrial clusters/areas having aggregated CEPI scores of 70 and above should be considered as critically polluted; the clusters/areas having CEPI scores between 60-70 should be considered as severely polluted areas and shall be kept under surveillance and pollution control measures should be efficiently implemented; and the critically polluted industrial clusters/areas need further detailed investigations in terms of the extent of damage and formulation of appropriate remedial action plan. (Office Memorandum, dated January 13, 2010)

• EIA Consultants: In an effort to streamline the system, procedure, mechanism and to involve competent environment professionals in the whole process of preparing and implementing EIA/EMP as per Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, Ministry has taken initiative on accreditation of the qualified and experienced Consultants including those working in public sector undertakings/laboratories through Quality Council of India (QCI) / National Accreditation Board of Education &Training (NABET).

  MoEF has decided that the final EIA/EMP by all the PP to whom TOR were awarded under EIA Notification, 2006 would be entertained only if the same is prepared by the Consultants accredited by National Accreditation Board of Education and Training/Quality Council of India ("NABET/QCI"). After July 1, 2010, MOEF would not entertain any final EIA/EMP from any PP prepared by non-accredited consultant.

  The accredited consultants preparing the EIA/EMP reports would need to include a certificate in such report along with the data provided by other organization/s and the status of the approvals. (December 2, 2009; March 18, 2010)

• Biological Resources: The Ministry of Environment and Forest ("MoEF") has issued a notification dated October 26, 2009 listing 190 biological resources, allowing export of those 190 biological resources and such export would not require prior permission of National Biodiversity Authority ("NBA"). The MoEF has further, clarified that if those 190 biological resources are to be used for research or industrial purpose, the same would require obtaining of prior approval of the NBA as per the relevant provisions of National Biodiversity Act, 2005.

• Climate Change: Enhancing the power availability and GHG control and reduction of emissions from the coal-power sector will depend greatly on the role that India would play at the international climate regime. Creating a robust market for carbon would depend on the commitment followed by actions of the industrialized nations. Several factors like, incentives for new technologies, enhancing the possibility of developing countries for a better commitment on GHG reduction and catalyzing research advances would eventually be more crucial.

  India may have to therefore take many steps towards GHG reduction particularly, in the power sector which needs to continue in the future. This warrants knowledge improvement, right institutions and processes for a reasonably good progress of the power sector.

Options for Power Plants:

Resource availability (Land, Water and Fuel) for power plant henceforth will be quite challenging and warrants proper planning. Power promoters need to pursue data bank/literature with utmost care to ensure the right choice of technology to cope with not only the current regulatory requirements but also, to look beyond in their pursuit on sustainability.

Project Execution:

• Land: It is just not proximity to fuel and water that matters now Identifying a suitable land would test the skill of power engineers managing the project with not only minimum acreage but also conform to the new set of guidelines of MoEF. Although this is quite a challenging task, solution may not be out of reach IF, an appropriate tapping of the available technical knowledge is entrusted to the smarter team of engineers.

• Fuel Security: Fuel security clubbed with land, presents greater confidence to secure MoEF clearance. Coal block allocation and consequent clearance associated with it before even approaching Environmental Clearance warrants advance planning. This is a pre-requisite to environmental clearance. MoEF however, does allow flexibility between imported and domestic coal to encourage speedy execution and commissioning of project. A bigger challenge is the fuel constraints and rising cost of coal and gas, which are adversely affecting power projects.

  While imported fuel is more expensive, gas production is insufficient to meet needs of power utilities. Domestic coal production will take another five-seven years to ramp up to industry needs.

• People: This adds to the owes that the power sector has been already facing due to not only the scarcity of land but, better awareness/reluctance of the public parting their land. Public Consultation, as per the September, 2006 Notification now includes Public Hearing and website responses/ reservations for or against the project. Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R & R) which was hitherto a simpler exercise is quite a challenging task considering the National as well as State level provisions. Of late, this exercise spills over to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) accounting, as well. In fact, project proponents need to allocate funds over a specific period and clearly outline the periodic development programme for the betterment of the surrounding villages. This may later come under monitoring by the concerned agency.

• Funds: Although could be easy, needs to be tied up once the above issues are positive. Cost competitive analysis could be a parallel exercise to ensure assured revenue during operation.

• Transmission: Could be a tricky exercise involving land, people and funds. The involvement of forest / agriculture land (inevitable given the current scarcity of land) would consume considerable time for execution.

Easier Options:

Energy sector currently, driven by carbon abatement, security of supply and affordable energy are termed as 'Energy Trilemma". Not only the power generators but even the consumers therefore need to realize that the system and market are indeed facing fundamental change. What is therefore needed is 'integration' approach as isolated efforts would mean nothing. Diverse energy generation technologies, efficient energy management and wise consumption would bring about a 'Comprehensive Energy System' -- major change in our outlook at this juncture.

The simple answer world over is conservation and efficiency. The first step to utilizing these options is to commit making changes in our own lives. Developing and advancing an energy conservation and efficiency culture requires that we all, individually and collectively choose to make a coherent and lasting reduction in our energy consumption.

Boosting energy efficiency can be thought of as squeezing more utility out of each unit of energy, or delivering the same or more service with less energy. The economic benefits are obvious; consumers and businesses save millions of rupees in energy costs annually. In fact, energy-efficient solutions can easily reduce the energy bill for many homeowners and businesses by 20 to 30 percent. And using less energy reduces the need to generate energy at power plants, which cuts greenhouse-gas emissions and improves the quality of our air.

International Energy Agency refers to energy efficiency as the ''fifth fuel,'' and energy-saving actions as producing 'negawatts,' (a term coined by Amory Lovins to describe units of energy that are not used and, therefore, available for some other use).

It is estimated that world energy consumption has risen 45% since 1980 and it is projected to be 70% higher by 2030. Due to the intrinsic efficiency of most power plants and losses in transmission and distribution, 1kWh of usage in a building requires 3kWh of production: for each energy unit saved in the building we save 3 times as many at production level. Similarly, an energy star qualified Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulb can save substantial electricity costs over its lifetime, as it uses 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and lasts up to ten times longer.

Sooner or later, fossil fuel may no longer be a viable energy option, not because of its impact on the environment, but economy in the long run, as well. Cost effective and sustainable renewable energy could be challenging. It is quite essential to strike a balance between growing demand for energy & the need to safeguard environment on one hand and to rely on reliable and affordable energy to be competitive. Biomass, wind and solar have shown considerable potential which, need be tapped for the industrial requirement.

While planning for renewable, one needs to pay attention to -- storage system as they are not constant power generators; smart grid that can handle power generated including the power by fossil fuels and finally, smart meter to monitor energy consumed and regulate use later. In addition, efficient transformers that reduce energy wastage could be an essential requirement.

In order to achieve the above, you need a strong and dedicated "knowledge management" group who could synergize competitive core groups within the institution for better overall results. It is indeed high time that we stop looking at solutions in a conventional way and focus at 'out of the box' solutions as brought out in a few demonstrations quoted below:

As the focus all over the world is towards conservation and efficiency, many remarkable expositions have come to light which could become economical over the next few years.

• GreenGen coal-fired gasification power plant in Tianjin, China: China's GreenGen coal-fired gasification power plant which began in June 2009 plan to start operations. GreenGen's principle objective is to demonstrate advanced technology to burn coal much more efficiently than conventional power plants and to prove that carbon emissions can be safely stored deep underground. Another of its innovations is that the plant's cooling system will use seawater instead of fresh water.

• This ABB Power Generation Project Team -- comprised of engineers from the US, the UK, Canada and Germany -- spent one week onsite working in collaboration with the customer, assessing and observing all operations and systems. The ABB project team continued the analysis after the site assessment, delivering a comprehensive 90-page report within three weeks; covering process efficiency, materials handling, electrical systems, monitoring and targeting, behaviors and practices.

• The plant management team was pleased to see that ABB had identified 46 opportunities to improve plant efficiency, with total estimated potential savings and revenue improvements of up to $11.6M (USD) annually. One substantial finding was confirmed and addressed during a recent outage, resulting in more than $1M in annual savings when the plant was brought back online.

• In fact, novel ideas like, biogas engines as part of wastewater treatment (methane from digestion of sewage sludge) would help clean up municipal water supply and promote renewable energy efforts in saving power otherwise generated through fossil fuels. This would be a good example of saving CO2 emissions, otherwise.

• Green cooling water treatment: Merus is fighting all the arised technical problems in the cooling water with the Merus Rings. Today Merus has a row of certified cases, where entire cooling loops, including the cooling towers, all the heat exchangers and other consumers are taken care off. With the result, that there is no need to use chemicals to treat the cooling water, and no problem arises in the cooling system. In addition Merus is able to run a cooling system with a far higher COC (cycle of concentration) or far higher TDS, than ever possible when using chemicals. The higher TDS lead to significant savings of water. They are now working on projects, where the target will be to run the cooling loop with less than 50% of the water. They claim that specially designed devices for industrial applications have a delivery rate of more than 10.000 m3/hour.

• Magniwork: "A Zero point magnetic power generator is basically a Free Energy Generator. It uses magnets, and magnetic force to induce perpetual motion. It runs by itself, indefinitely without stopping, thus creating completely free electrical energy, which can fully power your home for free. A Perpetual motion device refers to a machine that runs perpetually i.e. indefinitely, and produces a larger amount of energy than it consumes. Thus, it produces free energy indefinitely, runs by itself, without having to need a third-party device or resource to power it.

• China is devoting just as much attention to modernizing its coal-fired energy production and reconsidering how much water that sector uses. China recently built and opened the Shenhua Direct Coal Liquefaction plant in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, in the north central region, a first-of-its-kind facility that employs a Chinese-developed technology to convert 6,000 tons of coal a day into more than 1 million tons of liquid fuels per year, according to the World Resources Institute. The plant, paid by Shenhua, the country's largest coal company, will also be one of the largest point sources of carbon dioxide in the world.

• 'Carbonate Looping" employs naturally occurring limestone to initially bind CO2 from flue gas and then reliberated for storage. This can be retrofitted in even the existing power plants. "Chemical looping' which employs limestone as well, will allow CO2 capturing with practically, no loss of energy efficiency. Unlike carbonate looping, flameless combustion here yields a stream of exhaust gases containing CO2 and water vapor allowing CO2 capture and storage, later.

Opting for expansion if the land is available instead of venturing new location would be an ideal solution. Energy efficiency at a cheaper cost where expansion is not feasible and where better revenue generation is desired is the most sensible proposition In fact, one could initially pick the best operating parameters from the existing operational units and then plan future options retaining the operating unit intact. Supplementing with renewable has been rewarding in quite a many cases. However, one needs to evaluate the payback period as this would attract investment initially.

In part, because of its concerns about freshwater supply, China's government and its manufacturing sector have embraced wind power and solar photovoltaic energy, neither of which uses much water in manufacturing or energy production. In 2005 the government passed a renewable energy standard requiring 10 percent of the nation's power to be generated from alternative sources by the end of this year. It also backed the standard with public financing to assist developers in tapping new business.

According to the Department of Energy, new technology and work being done by their Office of Fossil Energy might double the efficiency of coal-fueled plants within the next 15 years. Higher efficiency means more economical electricity for the public and less greenhouse gases for the planet.

While plant carbon dioxide emissions depends on size and efficiency, on an average, one 500 MW coal fired power plant emits approximately 3 million tons / year. When we talk of renewable role in coal fired power plant, it is wiser to initially focus on the easier solutions as for example, preheating water with solar energy. This option would certainly reduce the coal consumption to atleast 2-3 percent. In fact, Xcel Energy's new solar-coal hybrid power plant in Western Colorado is a good example in this regard.

CONCLUSION:

While the operating units could exercise some of the above options, it is equally important to disseminate simpler solutions on conservation in their own townships and extend even simpler tips around their villages which together would contribute substantially to the goals that need mandating.

There has never been a greater involvement on energy conservation than now and 'Green Innovations' is indeed worth tapping --

"Company creates a desktop printer that doesn't use ink or paper"

"Environmental company creates a staple-free stapler to avoid staple pollution"

"Designer creates a sink that uses wasted water to grow a plant"

"Designer creates a shower that forces you to leave when you have wasted too much water"

"Designer creates light-switch that changes colors to teach children how to save energy"

"Disco pub gets electricity produced by people dancing at specially modified dance floor"

"Hotel offers free meal to guests who are willing to generate electricity"

Other Posts by: A. Shyam

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