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India’s first bio-hydrogen project

The Indian government awarded a contract to develop the country’s first bio-hydrogen project led by Gensol Engineering in collaboration with Matrix Gas & Renewables. The project which is estimated to be around Rs 164 crore intends to comply with the National Green Hydrogen Mission. It would process 25 tonnes of bio-waste per day and use cutting-edge gasification technology to produce 1 tonne of green hydrogen over the course of 18 months.

What is Bio-Hydrogen?

One kind of hydrogen that is created from organic materials like plants, food scraps, or certain microbes is called bio-hydrogen. In contrast to conventional hydrogen, which is mostly produced from fossil fuels like coal or natural gas, bio-hydrogen is derived from naturally occurring sources such as food scraps, agricultural waste and industrial waste. It is therefore a greener and cleaner substitute. There are many methods for creating bio-hydrogen:

Biophotolysis: This method uses sunlight to split water molecules in organisms like algae releasing hydrogen.

Dark Fermentation: In this process organic matter is broken down by bacteria in the absence of oxygen producing hydrogen as a byproduct.

Gensol Engineering will apply a technology known as the Plasma-Induced Radiant Energy-Based Gasification System (GH2-PREGS) in the new Indian project.

This advanced process turns carbon-based waste into hydrogen gas.

Why is Bio-Hydrogen Important for India?

India is making great efforts to shift away from fossil fuels and towards more environmentally friendly energy sources.  One of the key initiatives supporting this is the National Green Hydrogen Mission. Bio-hydrogen offers a means of using the vast quantity of agricultural waste produced annually in India to produce sustainable energy. This approach not only reduces environmental pollution but also supports industries like steel and cement that are looking to lower their emissions.

Additionally bio-hydrogen has the potential to benefit rural areas by establishing nearby facilities that convert agricultural waste into energy, creating jobs, and offering greener energy sources.

Opportunities for India’s Bio-Health Sector

India generates around 380 million metric tonnes of agricultural waste each year providing a huge opportunity for bio-hydrogen production. Recycling garbage to create clean energy may help the environment by lowering pollution. Furthermore bio-hydrogen may be used by sectors such as steel and cement which are difficult to make ecologically friendly to reduce their emissions.

India Becomes World’s Top Plastic Polluter, Study Finds

India has become the largest plastic polluter in the world producing 9.3 million metric tonnes of plastic waste every year. This amount makes up about 20% of the total global plastic emissions showing how serious the problem is for both India and the world.

Study Findings

According to a new research that was published in Nature the official data on plastic trash in India is probably too low. The current estimate of 0.12 kilogrammes of plastic waste per person per day doesn’t fully capture the real situation. This is because the data does not account for plastic waste in rural areas or the informal recycling sector. Furthermore it’s likely that the amount of garbage collected has been overstated which makes it more difficult to determine the actual scope of the issue.

Global Plastic Polluters

India tops the list of global plastic polluters followed by Nigeria and Indonesia which emit 3.5 million tonnes and 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste, respectively. China, which was once the leading plastic polluter, has improved its waste management systems and is now ranked fourth.

What is plastic emissions?

Plastic emissions are wastes made of plastic that get out of control systems (like recycling and garbage collection) and wind up in the environment (such in land, rivers, or seas). This study provides a better picture of the extent of plastic contamination by examining littering and uncollected garbage.

Sources of Plastic Waste

• The study identified five main sources of plastic waste emissions:
• Plastic garbage that is not picked up is referred to as uncollected rubbish.
• Throwing plastic on the streets or in the outdoors is known as littering.
• Collection systems: Sometimes the systems that collect waste aren’t efficient.
• Uncontrolled disposal: the act of disposing of rubbish carelessly in public spaces.
• Rejects from sorting and reprocessing: plastic that is discarded because it cannot be repurposed.
• Littering is a major concern in richer nations but uncollected rubbish is the biggest problem in developing nations like India.

Implications for Future Action

These findings are important for the Global Plastics Treaty, a worldwide agreement that is expected to be finalized by 2024. The goal of this accord is to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and plastic pollution. The study provides a starting point for countries to create action plans to manage and reduce plastic waste.

India is the world’s largest plastic polluter which emphasizes the urgency of taking quick action. The country must focus on gathering better data, especially from rural areas, and improving waste collection to effectively address this environmental crisis.

Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)

During the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing on Thursday September 5, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to provide $51 billion in assistance to African nations. 30 infrastructure projects around the continent would get financial backing from China totalling 360 billion yuan ($50.7 billion).

The action is a result of China’s attempts to reduce large-scale infrastructure spending in the face of recent difficulties in its own economy. Why is FOCAC significant and how have China’s relations with Africa evolved? We explain.

What is the FOCAC?

The strategic alliance between China and African countries was formalized in 2000 with the founding of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Every three years, a summit is held, with China or an African member serving as the alternate host.

The FOCAC counts 53 African nations as its members—the entire continent except Eswatini which has diplomatic ties with Taiwan against Beijing’s “One China” policy. Another member is the African Union Commission the continental body entrusted with guaranteeing collaboration and economic integration amongst its constituent nations.

Over the course of three days African leaders will hold bilateral discussions with China about political and economic cooperation. “Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future” is this year’s theme.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres will be a special guest at the FOCAC, which will be the biggest diplomatic gathering China has held in recent memory according to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong.

The last FOCAC summit was held virtually in Beijing and Dakar, Senegal, in 2021, owing to Covid-19 restrictions. There were pledges to maintain political and economic cooperation. The present summit is anticipated to include topics such as industrialisation, state governance, agricultural modernisation, and enhanced collaboration over China’s financing of infrastructure through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The development of a consensus and an action plan for enhancing China-African cooperation over the following three years would be a crucial result.

How have China’s relations with Africa evolved?

China a Communist country, promoted the decolonisation of several African nations in the 1950s by developing commercial ties with them and aiding their liberation efforts. In the 1970s China successfully gathered the backing of these countries to unseat Taiwan as China’s official representation in international fora such as the UN Security Council.

The transnational Tanzania-Zambia railway was China’s first infrastructure undertaking in Africa having been finished in 1976. China increased its investments in Africa during the 1990s and 2000s, and since 2009, it has become the continent’s biggest bilateral commercial partner. Trade between China and Africa reached $282 billion in 2023 the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports.

China gets 20% of the region’s exports, mainly primary commodities like metals, mineral products, and fuel, and is responsible for about 16% of African imports, chiefly Chinese manufactured goods electronics, and machinery.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which aims to create transboundary political, economic, and cultural ties via land and sea links reminiscent of the former Silk Road counts Africa as a key partner. China has reportedly invested over $120 billion in supporting infrastructure for the BRI over the past decade.

African countries looking to borrow money from China have found great appeal in the lack of conditions attached to environmental or human rights safeguards that come with loans from the World Bank and the IMF. “Both parties… reject the politicization of human rights concerns, i.e., the involvement in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretense of human rights,” China and Nigeria said in a joint statement they just published. In recent years US investments in Africa have likewise lagged behind those of China.

Odisha Unveils India’s First Silicon Carbide Facility

The first silicon carbide manufacturing facility in India held its groundbreaking ceremony recently presided over by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. With a substantial investment of Rs 620 crore this large project—developed by RIR Power Electronics Limited—is being established in EMC Park in Info Valley Bhubaneswar. 

Significance of the Facility

For Odisha and India alike, this new plant represents a significant advancement in the worldwide power electronics business. It is a part of a larger strategy to establish Odisha as a major center for semiconductor production encouraging innovation and strengthening the state’s economy. Because of this Odisha is now more competitive in a worldwide market that is essential for cutting-edge technologies.

Job Creation and Opportunities

The facility is expected to create more than 500 jobs in various fields like research and development (R&D) and factory operations. In addition to giving the young people in the area much-needed work this will also help them acquire important skills in cutting-edge technology which will advance their careers in the long run.

Collaborative Efforts

RIR Power Electronics Limited and IIT Bhubaneswar are collaborating to enhance the facility’s capabilities. Through this collaboration the industry and the local academic community will be able to create and expand together with the support of technical and research assistance.

Critical industries like energy, transportation and defense currently benefit from RIR’s products. These goods are offered for sale in North America, Europe, and Asia, among other places. The new plant advances India’s goal of increasing its semiconductor production independence which is essential to the nation’s future technological advancement.

This initiative is a part of a larger trend as Odisha is becoming more popular for semiconductor industry investments. With these new achievements Odisha is projected to play a major role in India’s tech-driven future by supporting sustainable energy projects and greatly enhancing the region’s industrial infrastructure.

Saturn’s rings will momentarily vanish in March 2025

When observed from Earth, Saturn’s rings will appear to “disappear” in March 2025. The way Saturn orbits the Sun and tilts its surface creates an optical illusion. Over time the planet’s tilt and orbit cause its rings to appear at different angles. Occasionally only the rings’ thin edge will be seen giving the impression that the rings have disappeared.

The optical illusion explained

With an inclination of roughly 26.73 degrees Saturn’s orbit around the Sun takes over 30 Earth years. Saturn’s rings align to the point that we can only view the edge of them from Earth once every 13 to 15 years. The rings appear invisible at this angle because they reflect very little light due to their thinness similar to looking at a thin piece of paper from a distance.

The most recent occurrence of this ring “disappearance” was in 2009 and it will continue due to Saturn’s continuous orbit. It’s a normal part of how we see the planet from Earth.

Saturn is actually gradually shedding its rings, even if this is only a transient visual illusion. NASA has found that the ring material is being drawn onto the planet by Saturn’s magnetic field and gravity a phenomenon known as “ring rain.” Every half an hour the Earth loses enough material to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

When will Saturn lose its rings completely?

According to scientific estimates Saturn could shed its rings entirely in approximately 300 million years while further study suggests that this could occur sooner.

The ice and rock fragments that make up Saturn’s rings number in the billions. While some are the size of dust others are the size of mountains. These rings are thought to have formed from the collision of two ice moons some 100 million years ago.

Facts About Rings of Saturn

• Saturn’s rings are mostly made of ice particles, with some rock and dust mixed in.
• The rings are less than a mile thick, despite their enormous width—up to 175,000 miles. 
• They are separated into various portions denoted A, B, C, and so forth, with varying quantities of content in each area. 
• Due to their gravity, a few of Saturn’s moons, including Pan and Daphnis, cause gaps in the rings and aid in their formation. 
• Given their age, the rings were most likely produced during the last 100 million years.
• Over time, the rings may disappear due to the effects of solar radiation.

Tamil Nadu Unveils Cyber Security Policy 2.0

In 2020, the government of Tamil Nadu replaced its previous Cyber Security Policy with Cyber Security Policy 2.0. This revised policy offers precise instructions for safeguarding and assuring the security of the government’s digital networks. Its main goal is to guarantee the strong security of the government’s digital infrastructure which includes data and IT systems.

Key Objectives

The primary objectives of the strategy are to safeguard government information assets from cyberattacks and guarantee the continuous availability and seamless operation of IT systems utilized by the government and its constituents. Also set up a monitoring system to keep track of the IT infrastructure making sure it works well and securely.

All Tamil Nadu public sector organizations and state government ministries are covered by this policy. The government collaborates with third-party groups like suppliers consultants and contractors.

Essential Components

The policy lists a number of security precautions, such as employing digital signatures, or e-signatures to authenticate documents, securing passwords and emails to prevent unwanted access and putting in place a social media policy to regulate content uploaded on platforms. Making recovery and backup plans to safeguard critical information. carrying out routine information security audits to look for system vulnerabilities.

Incident Management and Training

Each department must:

In the event of a cyberattack, designate representatives who will collaborate with the Cyber Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT). Make certain that yearly training on efficient management and response to cyber events is provided to their employees.

Data Backup Requirements

Departments are required to:

Securely store backup data in multiple locations to ensure its safety.

To ensure that the backup data is accurate and comprehensive, test it frequently.

What About Risk Assessment?

To determine potential risks and the consequences of a cyber compromise as well as to analyze the significance and sensitivity of the assets and applications being used a thorough risk assessment must be carried out.

India now has USD 683.987 billion in foreign exchange reserves a record high. This continued its upward trend from the previous high of USD 681.688 billion rising by USD 2.299 billion in just one week.

India Reached Record High of USD 683.987 Billion in Forex Reserves

India’s reserves have increased by almost USD 60 billion in 2024 demonstrating remarkable growth, particularly when contrasted with a USD 71 billion decrease in 2022. The reserves rose by around USD 58 billion in 2023 alone indicating a strengthening of the nation’s economic situation.

Growth Trend in 2024

Components of Forex Reserves

India’s foreign exchange reserves consist of various assets. Foreign currency assets (FCA) which increased by USD 1.485 billion to reach USD 599.037 billion make up the largest part. In addition to this gold reserves have also seen an increase rising by USD 862 million to a total of USD 61.859 billion.

Importance of Forex Reserves

Foreign exchange reserves are essential for shielding the national economy against shocks to the world economy. They act as a financial cushion and are currently sufficient to cover around one year of India’s projected imports. As a result there is increased financial stability and security in times of economic uncertainty.

Role of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

These reserves are managed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). When necessary it steps in to regulate liquidity and stabilize the value of the currency. For instance the RBI may sell dollars to preserve stability if the market is too erratic rather than aiming for a particular exchange rate.

What are Foreign Exchange Reserves?

The assets that a nation’s central bank has in foreign currencies are known as foreign exchange reserves. These reserves typically include foreign banknotes, government bonds and Treasury bills. Switzerland, Japan, and China are the nations with the biggest reserves in the world. Reserves aid in managing exchange rates, settling foreign debt, and stabilizing a nation’s currency. Many countries diversify their reserves by holding gold or even cryptocurrencies. The International Monetary

The IMF (IMF), which is essential for international trade and investment keeps an eye on these reserves.