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Indian PSU refiners to set up 137,000 tonnes per annum green hydrogen facility by 2030

Indian PSU refiners to set up 137,000 tonnes per annum green hydrogen facility by 2030

 

Why In News

 

The public sector oil refineries in India are estimated to build green hydrogen capacity of 137,000 (1.37 lakh) tonnes per annum (TPA) by 2030.

 

 

Key Points

 

·         The public sector oil refineries in India are estimated to build green hydrogen capacity of 137,000 (1.37 lakh) tonnes per annum (TPA) by 2030. If fructified, besides boosting the economy with investments and jobs, this massive capacity building in the green hydrogen sector would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a large way.

 

·         Dr S S V Ramakumar, Director of R&D, Indian Oil Corporation has revealed the above information while speaking at the India Energy Week in Bengaluru.

 

·         He said that Indian Oil would first put up a seven thousand TPA electrolysis plant at its Panipat refinery. Also, Dr Ramakumar opined that biomass gasification is a better way of producing green hydrogen in India.

 

Green Hydrogen: Fuel of the future:

 

·         Hydrogen, like electricity, is an energy carrier that must be produced from another substance. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of sources including water, fossil fuels, or biomass and used as a source of energy or fuel.

 

·         Hydrogen has the highest energy content of any common fuel by weight (about three times more than gasoline), but it has the lowest energy content by volume (about four times less than gasoline).

 

·         Hydrogen and Ammonia are envisaged to be the future of fuels and are envisaged to replace fossil fuels in the years to come.

 

·         Depending on the nature of the method of its extraction, hydrogen is categorised into three categories, namely, grey, blue and green.

 

·         There is a growing focus on increasing production of green and blue hydrogen due to its no carbon emission and use of carbon offset technology, respectively.

 

·         The cleanest one of all is ‘green’ hydrogen, which is generated by renewable energy sources without producing carbon emissions in the first place.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Inaugurate National Aadi Mahotsav

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Inaugurate National Aadi Mahotsav

 

Why In News

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National Aadi Mahotsav on 16th February 2023 at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi.

 

Key Points

 

·         Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National Aadi Mahotsav on 16th February 2023 at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi. This was announced at a media briefing by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda in New Delhi.

 

·         Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Renuka Saruta was also present on the occasion. Arjun Munda also informed that the Prime Minister will be given an overview of the products which will be on display at various stalls and will engage with the artisans and the craftsmen from the tribal communities.

 

·         The Minister further informed that the Tribal Affairs Ministry is making all-out efforts to ensure full participation and involvement of the tribal communities in realizing the Prime Minister’s vision of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat.

 

·         He also said that the emphasis on the organic production of products by the tribal communities can play a big role in combating the challenge of global warming.

 

·         The Minister noted that an effort has been made to draw more and more artisans from remote areas producing lesser-known and unique items to come and take part in Aadi Mahotsav being organized across the country.

 

·         He also added that the Aadi Mahotsav is a major platform to catapult the tribal products into national and international markets.

 

·         TRIFED is engaging with top designers to ensure quality and contemporary designs in tribal products, at the same time maintaining their originality.

 

·         The present edition of the flagship event of TRIFED has the theme of “A Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Crafts, Culture, Cuisine, and Commerce”, which represents the basic ethos of tribal life.

 

·         The festival will feature exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, handloom, paintings, jewelry, cane & bamboo, pottery, food & natural products, gifts & assortment, tribal cuisine, and much more through 200 stalls to showcase this.

 

·         More than 1000 tribal artisans and artists from 28 States/UTs will be participating in the festival. This includes tribal cooks from 19 States/UTs for which 20 food stalls are being set up.

 

·         Millets have been an integral part of the diet of tribal communities. United Nations, at the behest of the Government of India, has declared 2023 the International Year Millets.

 

·         To commemorate this and create awareness and increase the production & consumption of tribal millets, tribal artisans from across the country are invited to display & sell millet products and cuisines.



World Bank chief David Malpass to step down early

 

World Bank chief David Malpass to step down early

 

Why In News

 

World Bank chief David Malpass has announced his resignation nearly a year early. He ending a tenure at the head of the development lender that was clouded by questions over his climate stance.

 

 

Key Points

 

·         World Bank chief David Malpass has announced his resignation nearly a year early. He ending a tenure at the head of the development lender that was clouded by questions over his climate stance.

 

·         The veteran of Republican administrations in the United States was appointed to the role in 2019 when Donald Trump was president and previously served as Under Secretary of the Treasury for international affairs.

 

·         Malpass’s term would have originally ended in 2024.

 

·         The US traditionally nominates the head of the World Bank, with Europe nominating the heads of its twin Bretton Woods institution, the International Monetary Fund.

 

·         Names mentioned by analysts as potential Biden administration picks include Samantha Power, head of the the US Agency for International Development, and Rajiv Shah, the president of the Rockefeller Foundation and a former head of USAID.

 

·         His tenure at the World Bank saw the organization grapple with global crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and an international economic slowdown.

 

·         Under (Malpass’s) leadership, the Bank Group more than doubled its climate finance to developing countries, reaching a record $32 billion last year

 

·         His work to assist the Afghan people and his commitment to helping low-income countries achieve debt sustainability through debt reduction.

 

·         As head of the anti-poverty lender, he pressured Beijing to provide more debt relief for developing nations.

 

What is World Bank and how it works?

 

·         The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world.

 

·         They are not a bank in the ordinary sense but a unique partnership to reduce poverty and support development.

 

·         The World Bank Group comprises five institutions managed by their member countries. The World Bank promotes long-term economic development and poverty reduction by providing technical and financial support to help countries implement reforms or projects, such as building schools, providing water and electricity, fighting disease, and protecting the environment.

 

5 branches of World Bank

 

·         IBRD: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

·         IDA: The International Development Association

·         IFC: The International Finance Corporation

·         MIGA: The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency

·         ICSID: The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.