School of Natural Sciences and Engineering

Air Quality, National Standards and Human Health in India

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently (Sep 2021) released its revised Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) which have been made more stringent compared to their earlier guidelines. This raises the question whether India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) notified by the MoEFCC in 2009 are adequate and whether the revised WHO AQGs are relevant for India.

Cost and environmental benefits of coal-concentrated solar power (CSP) hybridization in India

The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and environmental advantages of coal-CSP hybrid systems are presented by simulating the hybrid system in two modes at three locations in India with contrasting DNI profiles. The cost of additional energy generated due to SAFWH in booster mode is up to 51.4% less as compared to a stand-alone CSP. In the fuel saver mode, up to 40 thousand tons of coal can be annually saved with SAFWH, thus reducing CO2 emissions by 1.7% as compared to a stand-alone coal-fired plant.

Changing ecologies, shifting behaviours: Behavioural responses of a rainforest primate, the lion-tailed macaque Macaca silenus, to a matrix of anthropogenic habitats in southern India

This study highlights the importance of understanding behavioural changes displayed by animals in response to human interactions; such knowledge could be crucial for the planning and implementation of management and conservation strategies for endangered species such as the lion-tailed macaque and possibly other wildlife in the increasingly anthropogenic landscapes of the tropical world.