New Delhi, June 12:

The Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI), an industry body representing the solar water heater manufacturers, on Thursday appealed to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to release the unpaid subsidies of around 350 crore.

About 50 crore of subsidy remains unpaid for the year 2012-13 and 300 crore for 2013-14. Going by the market growth, the subsidy liability will grow additionally to about 500 crore, said Jaideep Malaviya, secretary general of STFI.

As part of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission launched in 2010, consumers could avail themselves of a subsidy of 30 per cent on solar water heaters. The subsidy was provided by sellers registered with the MNRE as direct channel partners under this programme. The sellers were to be reimbursed by the ministry for providing the subsidy to consumers.

Over the years, solar water heater manufacturing has risen to 10 lakh sq meters of flat plate collectors in the country as of 2013-14. However, this amount fell from 14 lakh sq meters in the previous year.

According to STFI, the fall in production was due to lack of funds with the manufacturers who have dues pending with banks and suppliers.

Demand has been growing at a CAGR of 35 per cent so it's not that demand has come down', but the fact is we dont have the money to produce more, said M D Akole, Chairman of STFI.

Akole added that manufacturers of solar water heaters were small-scale industries and most of them have given personal guarantees to their bankers.

Painting a gloomy picture for the industry unless the pending dues are cleared, Malaviya said that manufacturers would have to stop production soon if the dues are not cleared.

STFI, which has been seeking an appointment with Upendra Tripathy, Secretary of MNRE, has not been able to meet the top bureaucrat in the ministry to present their demands.

The rest is here:
Solar water heater manufacturers demand clearance of unpaid dues from Govt

Manufacturers claim production will be hit otherwise

New Delhi, June 12:

Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI), an industry body representing the solar water heater manufacturers, on Thursday appealed to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to release the unpaid subsidies of around 350 crore.

About 50 crore of subsidy remains unpaid for the year 2012-13 and 300 crore for 2013-14. Going by the market growth the subsidy liability will grow additionally to about 500 crore, said Jaideep Malaviya, secretary-general of STFI.

As part of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission launched in 2010, consumers could avail themselves of a subsidy of 30 per cent on solar water heaters. The subsidy was provided by sellers registered with the MNRE as Direct Channel Partners under this programme. The sellers were to be reimbursed by the Ministry for providing the subsidy to the consumers.

Solar water heater manufacturing rose to 10 lakh sq meters of flat plate collectors in the country as of 2013-14. However, this fell from 14 lakh sq meters in the previous year.

According to STFI, the fall in production was due to lack of funds with the manufacturers who have dues pending with banks and suppliers. Demand has been growing at a CAGR of 35 per cent so its not that demand has come down but the fact is we dont have the money to produce more, said MD Akole, Chairman of STFI.

Manufacturers of solar water heaters are small-scale industries and most of them have given personal guarantees to their bankers, Akole said.

Painting a gloomy picture for the industry unless the pending dues are cleared, Malaviya said manufacturers would have to stop production if the dues arent cleared.

Solar water heaters are costlier to install than a traditional electric water heater. However, after the initial cost of installation, the running cost of such water heaters is zero and many municipalities and districts give users rebates on property tax and electricity bills.

The rest is here:
Clear pending dues, solar water heater makers urge Govt

People always get hot in summer. Why cant we use this hot summer! Dont get confused, I am saying about the use of solar energy. The greatest resource available in free of cost is solar energy. The solar energy is the power resource and with it we can achieve many things. Let us think of using it for water heating. Arizona solar water heating companies uses this technique for heating the water.

The installation is quite high but it is only once and you can achieve more benefits within a month after installation. You may think that there is no need of water heaters in summer, but it can also be used for other purposes like cooking, to have a warm shower. Arizona solar water heating companies produces water heaters to help people in such a way.

It can be used at any time, once after it gets required energy for the process to complete.

Cut Down Costs

Usually we dont use hot waters for bathing at summer, but we can use it for many other purposes throughout the year. It work is similar to that of the traditional water heaters that we use providing hot water throughout the home. The only difference is being the location of the heater. Yes as you guess, the solar water heater is installed over the roof of the house and that is mainly to get maximum exposure from sun. Since you are residents of Arizona, it is sure that you will get plenty of solar energy from the sunshine throughout the year. The Arizona water heating companies manufactures mainly for the benefit of Arizona residents.

It is very simple to install the product and let it be the work of the solar contractors. The best solar contractors will install the heaters in such a way it wont affect your beautiful appearance of the home.

Many doubt that how it saves the electricity bill? It can be best explained by home maker only. Have a talk with your partner and you will able to know for what hot waters are used and how much time it takes for boiling at one time. You will get all the answers and after that you know how important solar water heaters are?

With numerous tax credits, you can install the water heaters and also bring a green environment. This is the best opportunity to save money throughout years. Go with best installers for installing the product in the right manner.

Link:
Use Every Summer with New Technology Water Heaters

TRAVERSE CITY Mayor Michael Estes push to ban the sale of plastic water bottles at Open Space events didnt wash with his fellow city commissioners, but supporters poured forth enough cash to sprinkle the city with water bottle filling stations.

Objections from National Cherry Festival and Traverse City Film Festival officials sunk Estes proposal, he said, so instead a committee of commissioners turned to private fundraising to install filling stations. City officials and donors will cut a green ribbon for five new fountains made possible through $35,000 in donations today at 1 p.m. in the Open Space west of the Marina.

The whole idea was to reduce the level of plastic water containers that sit in our public parks, Estes said. Ive thought from the very onset they were an excellent idea.

The stations provide both a drinking fountain and a bottle-filling station and also can be ordered with a lower spout to fill water bowls in case anyone wants to sponsor one at the citys dog park, Estes said.

Estes and his wife Rhonda sponsored one of the $7,000 fountains for Veterans Park near the Grand Traverse Commons.

I try to avoid plastic water bottles whenever possible and I thought since I was advocating for them so strongly I should put my money where my mouth is, Estes said.

Hagerty Insurance offered a challenge grant to fund a station if someone else would step forward. Estes said he believes the challenge helped spur other donations.

An anonymous donor agreed to fund a station at the volleyball courts and the operator of the citys sewer plant, CH2M HILL, will fund one in F&M Park. The National Cherry Festival will fund the fifth station on the corner of Union Street and Grandview Parkway.

We do make some revenue off of the water bottle sales, but I also think its important to have the filling stations down there, said Trevor Tkach, Cherry Festival executive director. We want to make sure our customers stay hydrated.

City officials identified other areas in need of water stations and continue to seek sponsors. Anyone interested in funding a station or wishing to make a tax deductible gift should contact Katie Lowran, deputy city clerk, at 922-4480.

See the original post:
City awash in bottle-filling options

Hub teens have some million-dollar ideas to improve the city and Mayor Martin J. Walsh is all ears.

Boston is poised to set aside $1 million of the citys capital budget, ask kids ages 12-25 for ideas on how to use it, and then empower them to vote for which projects to fund, starting today and ending Friday.

Youth have not been ignored, but not heard for a while, said Naomie Bourdeau, 16, a junior at Snowden International School in the Back Bay. This is the first time I felt like Ive been heard.

Since January teens like Bourdeau, as well as 16-year-old Dorchester triplets Naomi, Brianna and Chantay Robinson, and Sadyia Gurhan, 17, have gathered ideas with Youth Lead the Change, the partnership between the city and the Participatory Budgeting Project.

The group said vetting ideas from the public meetings was a challenge.

Someone said we should install a Gatorade water fountain or something like that, Chantay Robinson said. It didnt make it.

The biggest issue for me was coming up with some good ideas that will benefit people, said Brianna Robinson, a junior at Bedford High School.

To make the ballot, the idea needed to meet capital budget guidelines: feasibility, impact, project need and community need. Between 12 to 14 proposals made the cut, from a free standing graffiti wall for urban artists to playground improvements at Franklin Park and renovations to high school biology labs. Projects receiving the most votes will be funded until the $1 million limit is met. The winners will be announced June 25.

Ashley-Rose Salomon, youth organizer for Participatory Budgeting Boston, said of the kids, They determine how its done. They get to say something and see it get done. Its effective, efficient and its empowering. It actually brings the power back to the people, Salomon said. I feel all too often, especially in marginalized communities, their voices are unheard, so they choose not to vote.

Gurhan, a junior at John D. OBryant School of Math & Science and a member of the Mayors Youth Council, said, Its important because its stuff that will impact them. Its something they can get involved in.

Follow this link:
Boston looks to next generation leaders to improve city

Hub teens have some million-dollar ideas to improve the city and Mayor Martin J. Walsh is all ears.

Boston is poised to set aside $1 million of the citys capital budget, ask kids ages 12-25 for ideas on how to use it, and then empower them to vote for which projects to fund, starting today and ending Friday.

Youth have not been ignored, but not heard for a while, said Naomie Bourdeau, 16, a junior at Snowden International School in the Back Bay. This is the first time I felt like Ive been heard.

Since January teens like Bourdeau, as well as 16-year-old Dorchester triplets Naomi, Brianna and Chantay Robinson, and Sadyia Gurhan, 17, have gathered ideas with Youth Lead the Change, the partnership between the city and the Participatory Budgeting Project.

The group said vetting ideas from the public meetings was a challenge.

Someone said we should install a Gatorade water fountain or something like that, Chantay Robinson said. It didnt make it.

The biggest issue for me was coming up with some good ideas that will benefit people, said Brianna Robinson, a junior at Bedford High School.

To make the ballot, the idea needed to meet capital budget guidelines: feasibility, impact, project need and community need. Between 12 to 14 proposals made the cut, from a free standing graffiti wall for urban artists to playground improvements at Franklin Park and renovations to high school biology labs. Projects receiving the most votes will be funded until the $1 million limit is met. The winners will be announced June 25.

Ashley-Rose Salomon, youth organizer for Participatory Budgeting Boston, said of the kids, They determine how its done. They get to say something and see it get done. Its effective, efficient and its empowering. It actually brings the power back to the people, Salomon said. I feel all too often, especially in marginalized communities, their voices are unheard, so they choose not to vote.

Gurhan, a junior at John D. OBryant School of Math & Science and a member of the Mayors Youth Council, said, Its important because its stuff that will impact them. Its something they can get involved in.

Read this article:
Hub looks to next generation leaders to improve city

PTI Jun 16, 2014, 06.17PM IST

(Dr. Sudhir Krishna, Secretary-)

NEW DELHI: Aiming to change the face of Delhi in six months time, government today launched an action plan promising enhancement of civic services and greenery in the capital city through coordinated efforts of all agencies including NDMC, MCD, CPWD and DDA.

Construction of bio-digester public toilets, conversion of Barapullah drain into a green zone, automatic washing machines at dhobi ghats, cleaning and lighting of public buildings and increasing the capacity of parking lots are some of the measures finalised at the marathon meeting attended by the top officials of all agencies concerned, Delhi government and DMRC here.

"We have finalised a detailed action plan to beautify the city and all agencies concerned have been given responsibilities to do it in a coordinated way," said Urban Development Secretary Sudhir Krishna after the meeting with all agencies involved in the exercise.

He said, "Delhi is beautiful and it has a lot of greenery. But we want it to be more beautiful and green."

Asked about the time frame and the cost involved in the beautification drive, Krishna said, "It is launched today and will take six months to complete the process. However, the drive will be reviewed every month."

On cost factor he said, "It does not require extra fund and the available resources will be utilised to meet the target."

According to the plan, cleaning of market places will be carried out on regular basis and all unauthorised road side kiosks will be removed.

"Steps will also be taken to construct porta cabins for security posts as part of the beautification drive," he said.

Read more from the original source:
Action plan for beautification of Delhi launched

HYUNDAI'S success story in Australia continues to gather momentum, with the Korean manufacturer making unbelievable strides in the past decade.

Of course, much of that ascendency can be hitched to the star of the i30 hatch, but other offerings, too, like the ix35, Santa Fe and Veloster are beginning to pull their weight.

The Elantra presents an interesting quandary. Based on the i30 platform, it is for all intents and purposes an i30 sedan and, truth be told, would probably sell more if it is branded as such. This latest nip and tuck is intended to help the Elantra keep pace with much more aggressive moving rivals.

There are some minor exterior changes, a revised interior, a longer inclusions list and the obligatory minor price rise.

The entry-level Active manual is $400 dearer at $20,990, the mid-range Elite steps up to $26,790, while the range-topping Premium will set you back in excess of $30,000.

Comfort

The interior of the new Elantra sedan shows some obvious changes, with the air vents better placed at face height and an easy-to-use touch-screen that incorporates a reverse camera.

The console is well designed with the driver in mind, with hardy buttons and dials and quality surrounds.

Plastics are a mixed bunch but work well enough with no rattle, which is always a good thing. Leg room is good, as it was in the previous model, but headroom is hindered by the sloping roof - more so with a sunroof. Seats are comfortable both in the front and back with more than adequate support.

Our Premium model came with leather seats, which marked quite easily, but were just as easy to wipe clean. Storage is clever and includes a chilled glovebox, while the boot - 420 litres with the back seats in place - is a real roomy surprise.

Read more from the original source:
2014 Hyundai Elantra Platinum road test review

Risky Tree Removal Pros Birmingham Al 205-435-6633
I #39;ll lay down the basic principles, from picking the optimal a single one of the various shrub elimination solutions to performing this process safely. Let #39;s get started with obtaining a qualified...

By: Robert Porter

The rest is here:
Risky Tree Removal Pros Birmingham Al 205-435-6633 - Video

Hazardous Tree Elimination Specialists Birmingham Al 205-435-6633
I #39;ll set down the basics, from picking the best one particular amongst the numerous tree removal solutions to doing the procedure safely. Let #39;s start out with obtaining a qualified arborist...

By: Robert Porter

Read more:
Hazardous Tree Elimination Specialists Birmingham Al 205-435-6633 - Video