Why There’s a Need to Look at Air Pollution Through the Climate Lens
Atleast 9 million people die annually from air pollution-related complications, according to a recent study by The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. Meanwhile, the alarming increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, due to human activities, is escalating the climate crisis. Putting a number on deaths attributable to climate change is complex, but there’s no denying this: we are at crisis point and it is likely to get worse before (and if) it gets better.
Rooftop Solar Coalition: Round Table
The uptake of rooftop solar technology has been slow in India though it is an important component in achieving our renewable energy targets. The Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP)—along with the Council On Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI)—organised a two-day round-table conference on Rooftop Solar Coalition in New Delhi to discuss ways to increase the adoption of rooftop solar in India.
Bias in PM2.5 measurements using collocated reference-grade and optical instruments
Optical PM2.5 measurements are sensitive to aerosol properties that can vary with space and time. Here, we compared PM2.5 measurements from collocated reference-grade (beta attenuation monitors, BAMs) and optical instruments (two DustTrak II and two DustTrak DRX) over 6 months. We performed inter-model (two different models), intra-model (two units of the same model), and inter-type (two different device types: optical vs. reference-grade) comparisons under ambient conditions.
OPINION: Knowing what is at stake - Climate risk assessment for resilience and adaptation
Climate change will amplify the existing risks and create new risks for natural and socio-economic systems. These risks are unevenly distributed and experienced. They are often greater for the disadvantaged or marginalised people (particularly women and girls), and also depend on the geographic location of these communities or ecological systems, such as coasts or mountains. Failing to assess climate risks—current and future—can lead to resource wastage, or worse, maladaptation.
Best Practices for Deploying and Maintaining a Low-Cost PM2.5 Sensor Network
Strategically placed sensors can monitor air pollution and provide a detailed picture of air quality and its variability within a region. Low-cost sensors (LCSs) that measure PM2.5 are becoming increasingly popular because of their low cost, ease of use, and portability. However, the portability and low cost come with trade-offs on data quality, reliability, and shelf life. The typical shelf life of LCSs is around a year to two. Also, the raw data from these LCSs need to be calibrated. This report documents the best practices for establishing and maintaining an LCS network.
Driving Green Mobility – RTPV Integrated EV Charging
Indian transport is massive and diverse in catering to the mobility needs of its 1.4 billion population. Road transport alone emits 0.24 G tonnes of CO2 annually, 90% of the total transport sector emissions. Among the Indian Megacities, Bengaluru's transport sector contributes the most (about 40%) to the city's air pollution.
Assessing the impact of integrating electric vehicles and solar rooftop photovoltaic system into the power distribution network
This paper presents our analysis of the impact of integrating electric vehicles (EVs) and rooftop photovoltaics (RTPVs) on power system distribution feeders at the 11 kV level. For the assessment, we selected a sample urban feeder that served both domestic and commercial consumers within Bengaluru city limits. The EV demand projection was considered on the basis of a report by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, whereas the RTPV potential was estimated using CSTEP’s Rooftop Evaluation for Solar Tool.