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First Post
40 minutes ago
- First Post
In a veiled dig at China, PM Modi urges Brics to 'prevent weaponisation' of rare earths
PM Modi has urged BRICS nations to work together to secure supplies of critical minerals and cautioned against any country using these resources as a 'weapon,' in remarks seen as a veiled swipe at China's export restrictions on rare earths. read more India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the first plenary session of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6, 2025. Image- AFP Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Brics nations to work together to secure supply chains for critical minerals and, in an indirect way, took a dig at China, saying that no country should use these resources as a 'weapon' against others. Speaking on Sunday at the Brics summit session on multilateralism, finance, and artificial intelligence, Modi also called for global rules on AI to ensure transparency and stop misuse. His remarks come amid worries about China's restrictions on exporting rare earth minerals and its lack of transparency in the sector. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We need to work together to make supply chains for critical minerals and technology secure and reliable. It's important to ensure that no country uses these resources for its own selfish gain or as a weapon against others,' Modi said. China's dominance in rare earth market Critical minerals like lithium, nickel, and graphite are essential for making high-tech products such as electric vehicles, drones, and batteries. China currently dominates the global supply of these minerals. China controls an overwhelming share of mining, refining, and processing for critical minerals, holding roughly 85–90 per cent of global rare earth element refining and around 60 per cent of lithium chemicals, 68 per cent of nickel refining, 73 per cent of cobalt refining, and 99 per cent of battery-grade graphite production. In 2024, it accounted for about 75 per cent of global processing capacity for key minerals like copper, lithium, cobalt, graphite, and rare earths. This dominance extends upstream through major investments in mines across Africa and Latin America and downstream into refining, component manufacturing, and EV battery factories. China's tight grip gives it strategic leverage but also poses risks for Western nations, as any disruption or export controls—especially on rare earths and graphite—could severely impact global technology and clean energy supply chains. As a result, Western governments are urgently seeking alternative sources and building up their own processing capacities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Govt mandates real-time weather tracking at large solar, wind plants; CEA issues strict AWS rules
New Delhi: In a major move to standardise real-time weather tracking at large renewable energy projects , the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has notified stringent technical guidelines for Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) at solar and wind power plants across the country. Every project of 50 MW and above will now be required to log encrypted weather data at 15-minute intervals, store it for six months, and transmit it securely to national agencies. The guidelines—released in July 2025—are aimed at improving accuracy of renewable generation forecasts, strengthening grid reliability , and ensuring secure cyber-physical systems at clean energy installations. According to the CEA, all existing and upcoming wind and solar power projects with capacities of 50 MW or more are required to deploy AWS with specified sensors to monitor weather parameters including solar irradiance, wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and rainfall. The recorded data must be stored locally for a minimum of six months and shared with the National and Regional Load Dispatch Centres (NLDC/RLDC), State Load Dispatch Centres (SLDC), and Renewable Energy Management Centres (REMCs). The AWS must be equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers for time synchronization and should be capable of encrypting and transmitting data every 15 minutes using secure communication protocols. The guidelines also prescribe minimum sensor specifications and calibration standards. For instance, irradiance sensors must be secondary standard pyranometers compliant with ISO 9060 Class A, while wind sensors must meet IEC 61400-12-1 or WMO standards. Temperature sensors are required to have accuracy within ±0.2°C, and barometric pressure sensors must offer resolution of at least 0.1 hPa. In a significant step toward grid integration and energy forecasting , the guidelines stipulate that developers must also share AWS data with designated agencies, as instructed by Central Transmission Utility (CTU), SLDCs, and REMCs. In case of data loss or system failure, the project developer must inform all stakeholders within 15 minutes. The guidelines apply to utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, onshore wind farms, and hybrid systems including solar-wind combinations. These will be applicable to both AC and DC capacities of 50 MW and above. However, battery energy storage systems (BESS) are excluded from the AWS requirement unless co-located with solar or wind capacity. The AWS data is expected to play a critical role in energy forecasting models, grid dispatch planning, and renewable integration into India's electricity system, especially as the country targets 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. CEA has made it mandatory for project developers to provide real-time data access to grid operators and to ensure robust local storage with backup power supply. Furthermore, the AWS should have protective enclosures to ensure continuous operation under various environmental conditions. The guidelines also mandate compliance with cybersecurity provisions under the Central Electricity Authority (Cyber Security in Power Sector) Guidelines, 2021. This includes safeguarding data acquisition systems and ensuring data integrity through encryption and authentication protocols. AWS installations are to be certified by a CEA-empanelled agency, and periodic calibration of sensors is mandatory. All installations must include meteorological masts at a minimum height of 10 metres, though wind farms with turbines over 100 metres tall must use hub-height sensors. In case of large solar or wind installations exceeding 150 MW, at least two AWS systems are required to be deployed. Additionally, if the plant area exceeds 10 sq km, an extra AWS must be added per 10 sq km. The directive comes amid increasing reliance on weather-sensitive power generation and the need for accurate, real-time meteorological data to support India's growing renewable portfolio.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Rising temperatures push up AC sales in Kashmir: ‘Would not have imagined this 5 years ago'
This year, Owais Ahmad from Srinagar had to do something he has never done in the five years that he's been selling household appliances — he has run out of air conditioners, and had to order for more. 'I used to sell 100-150 ACs a year. But in the first three days of July alone, I have sold 150 ACs. I'm getting more calls from customers but have already exhausted my stocks. The wait time for the new stock is a fortnight,' Ahmad says. Kashmir is sweltering under an unprecedented heatwave this summer. The Valley saw its hottest June in five decades, with the average temperatures standing between 32 and 33 degrees Celsius — some three degrees above normal. July, meanwhile, is getting hotter — the temperature in Srinagar on July 5 was 37.4 degree Celsius, the highest in seven decades. The upshot of this is an unprecedented rise in the sale of ACs and coolers, with dealers saying there's now a shortage in the market. 'While people would buy hot and cold ACs to cope with winter heat, very few households bought ACs in the summer. Generally, offices would buy these. But this time, there is a huge demand for homes,' Ahmad said. There has been a rise in the demand for coolers too — especially in urban areas, where there is less tree cover. According to Bashir Ahmad, who owns a shop selling household appliances in north Kashmir's Sopore, the demand has more than doubled. 'Where I sold 10 coolers in a month before, I've sold 30 this time,' he said. ACs are no longer luxuries, Mohammad Danish said, as he continues his search for one that could be used in the summer as well as the winter. 'Five years ago, I wouldn't have believed it if you told me we needed ACs in the summer. But the heat is now getting unbearable and is likely to get worse,' he said. Meanwhile, the heat has prompted several people to turn to the Valley's water bodies to cool off, leading to several cases of reported drownings. According to officials, 11 people — mostly teenagers — drowned in different parts of the Valley, forcing the government to ban bathing in Kashmir's water bodies. Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More
