Prix Versailles Award

Why is in news? Bengaluru airport wins award at UNESCO’s 2023 Prix Versailles

Terminal 2 (T2) of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru has been recognised as one of the world’s most beautiful airports and awarded the special prize for interiors at the UNESCO’s 2023 Prix Versailles.

The World Judges Panel for the Prix Versailles 2023, chaired by renowned fashion designer Elie Saab, announced the latest architectural projects to win a World Title, according to Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates KIA.

The Prix Versailles focuses on intelligent sustainability as a cultural driver, acknowledging innovation, creativity, reflection of local heritage, ecological efficiency, and values of social interaction.

The awards were first conceptualised in 2015 are presented by UNESCO annually to honour the best achievements in the field of architecture and designs worldwide.

Purpose: It seeks to promote architectural production as a cultural driver for intelligent sustainable development and focuses on acknowledging innovation andcreativity along with a reflection of local heritage in the designs to promoteecological efficiencyand values of social interaction.

Terminal 2 or T2 of KIA:

Recently inaugurated in 2022, T2 is also known as Terminal in a Garden and is now recognised as one of the world’s most beautiful airport terminal.

Foundational pillars: The airport’s conceptualisation is visioned on 4 pillars of,

Technological leadership: Embraced in engineered bamboo, the terminal’s interiors offer a blend of functionality with aesthetic appeal.

Terminal in a garden:The terminal’s niche is that it features a spacious indoor garden with rammed-earth walls and waterfalls, as well as hanging planted bells appearing as a garden.

Environmental and ecological stewardship: T2 has the distinction of becoming the world’s largest terminal pre-certified with a Platinum LEED rating by the US Green Building Council before the formal commencement of the airport and also garnered the Platinum certification under the IGBC Green New Building rating system.

Celebration of Karnataka’s rich heritage and culture: As a part of BIAL’s Art Programme T2 possesses interiors that has an insightfully curated art and décor elements which showcase Karnataka’s culture and heritage.

2. Energy Conservation Building Code

Subject: Economy

Why is in news? ‘The Energy Conservation Building Code’ notified by 24 states / UTs until October 2023: Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister

The Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy has informed that presently, around 33% of the total electricity consumption is in commercial and residential category of consumers.

Category-wise consumption for the next twenty years has not been estimated, however, as per the twentieth Electric Power Survey Report, prepared by Central Electricity Authority, the combined consumption of electricity in commercial and residential category of consumers is estimated to be around 40% of the total electricity consumption by the year 2031-32.

The Energy Conservation Building Code has been developed with an objective that new Commercial buildings are constructed with features that enable reduction in energy consumption.

The responsibilities for implementation of Energy Conservation Building Code lies with the State GovernmentTill October 2023, 24 States/UTs had notified ‘The Energy Conservation Building Code’ in their respective States.

Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), 2017:

The ECBC was first released by the Ministry of Power’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in 2007, followed by an update in 2017.

Currently, 23 states have notified rules to enforce ECBC compliance, while large states like Maharashtra and Gujarat are still in the process of drafting rules.

While ECBC acts as a national standard, states across India have the flexibility to modify the code depending on unique regional needs.

To enforce the code, states have to draft rules and notify them as state laws.

Objectives:

ECBC sets minimum energy standards for commercial buildings, with the objective of enabling energy savings of between 25 and 50 per cent in compliant buildings.

Applicability:

The code is applicable to commercial buildings like hospitals, hotels, schools, shopping complexes, and multiplexes which have a connected load of 100 kW or more, or contract demand of 120 kVA or more.

ECBC is for both new buildings and retrofitting existing buildings.

3. PM KUSUM Scheme

Subject: Polity & Governance

Why is in news? Progress and Implementation of PM KUSUM Scheme

The Ministry for New & Renewable Energy and Power has informed that the main objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) include de-dieselisation of the farm sector, providing water and energy security to farmers, increasing the income of farmers, and curbing environmental pollution.

The Scheme has three components targeted to achieve solar power capacity addition of 34.8 GW by 2026 with total central financial support of Rs. 34,422 Cr.

The PM-KUSUM is a flagship scheme initiated by the Indian government in 2019 with the primary objective of transforming the agricultural sector by promoting the adoption of solar energy solutions.

The Scheme is demand driven and open for all farmers of the country for implementation as per guidelines issued for the Scheme.

Further, the funds are released to States/UTs on achieving certain milestones.

Based on the demand received from the State of Rajasthan and progress made under the PM-KUSUM Scheme, as on date, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has released Rs. 534.55 Crores to the State Implementing Agencies of the State of Rajasthan.

Objectives:

The scheme aims to reduce the dependence on diesel for irrigation by encouraging the use of solar-powered pumps and other renewable energy sources.

It also seeks to increase farmers' income by reducing irrigation costs through the use of solar pumps and enabling them to sell surplus solar power to the grid.

By providing access to solar pumps and promoting solar-based community irrigation projects, the scheme aims to enhance water and energy security for farmers.

Through the adoption of clean and renewable solar energy, the scheme aims to mitigate environmental pollution caused by conventional energy sources.

Components:

Component A: Setting up of 10,000 MW of Decentralized Ground/Stilt Mounted Solar Power Plants on barren/fallow/pasture/marshy/ cultivable land of farmers. Such plants can be installed by individual farmer, Solar Power Developer, Cooperatives, Panchayats and Farmers Producer Organisations.

Component B: Installation of 14 Lakh Stand-alone Solar Pumps in off-grid areas.

Component C: Solarisation of 35 Lakh Grid Connected Agriculture Pumps through (i) Individual Pump Solarisation and (ii) Feeder Level Solarisation.

The beneficiaries under Component-B and Component-C could be individual farmer, Water User Associations, Primary Agriculture Credit Societies and Communities/Cluster Based Irrigation Systems.

4. National Green Hydrogen Mission

Subject: Science & Technology

Why is in news? Status of adoption of green hydrogen in the country

The Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power has informed about the status of the adoption of green hydrogen in the country.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing the National Green Hydrogen Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet on 4th January 2023, with an outlay of ₹ 19,744 crore.

The overarching objective of the Mission is to make India the Global Hub for production, usage and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.

Present status of adoption of Green Hydrogen:

GAIL Limited has started India’s maiden project of blending Hydrogen in City Gas Distribution grid. Two precent by volume of hydrogen is being blended in CNG network and 5 vol% of hydrogen is being blended into PNG network at City Gas Station of Avantika Gas Limited (AGL), Indore in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

NTPC Limited has initiated blending of Green Hydrogen up to 8% (vol/vol) in PNG Network at NTPC Kawas Township, Surat, Gujarat from January 2023.

Hydrogen based Fuel-Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Buses in Leh, Greater Noida by NTPC

Oil India Limited has developed a 60 kW capacity hydrogen fuel cell bus, which is a hybrid of an electric drive and a fuel cell.

Demonstration pilot plants for production of Green Hydrogen through water electrolysis using solar power, biomass oxy steam gasification and CBG reforming for refuelling 15 no. of Hydrogen Fuel Cell buses by Indian Oil

In addition, several entities have announced plans to set up production facilities for Green Hydrogen/ Green Ammonia in India.

Since Green Hydrogen adoption in the country is at an initial stage, through demonstration projects, its impact on job creation, reduction in dependence on oil and exports has been limited so far.

About NGHM:

It was approved by the Union Cabinet on 4 January 2022.

It aims to make India a Global Hub for the production, utilization and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.

Green Hydrogen is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy.

The carbon intensity ultimately depends on the carbon neutrality of the source of electricity (i.e., the more renewable energy there is in the electricity fuel mix, the "greener" the hydrogen produced).

Mission outcomes projected by 2030 are:

Development of green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonnes) per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW in the country;

Over Rs. Eight lakh crore in total investments;

Creation of over Six lakh jobs;

Cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports over Rs. One lakh crore;

Abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions;

Under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) scheme (Mode – I, Tranche – I) of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, Request for Selection (RfS) has been issued for selection of Green Hydrogen producers for setting up production facilities of 450,000 tons for Green Hydrogen in India.