Technology

10-point plan for â€˜Green Industrial Revolution

Published

5 years ago

March 5, 2021

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a 10-point plan for a self-styled green industrial revolution, aimed at creating and supporting up to 250,000 jobs.

Climate change

What does Boris Johnson?? plan to ban fuel-powered vehicles mean for UK, Several other countries may follow suit in the coming years to phase out petrol- and diesel-run vehicles

Boris Johnson?? ??0-point plan??for a post-pandemic green industrial revolution in the United Kingdom to tackle climate change is unprecedented: It has been brought in almost a decade earlier than the previous commitment of 2040.

One of the key points is to ban on the sale of diesel- and petrol-powered cars and vans from 2030.

The move, announced November 17, 2020, would affect all cars running on diesel and gasoline. The sale of plug-in hybrid vehicles, however, would be allowed for five more years, till 2035.

These targets, being touted ??ighly ambitious??by both industry experts and policy makers, present numerous logistical challenges. They are, however, a step in the direction towards cleaner transport.

What is the plan?

The government is expected to launch a series of consultations to create a roadmap to phase out the diesel run Heavy Goods Vehicles.

The same would create a surge in demand for electric vehicles and boost the current sluggish rate of manufacturing of electric cars in the United Kingdom. At present, electric cars make up for less than 10 per cent of vehicular sales in the UK.

The ban will help phase out sales of petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030 and will greatly accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EV). The British Prime Minister also announced 1.3 billion pounds to aid the increase of charging infrastructure and create charge points for EV in private residences, streets and highways.

A grant funding of ?582 million would be disbursed to help bring down the manufacturing costs; a dedicated ?500 million would be shelled out for research, development and localised production of EV batteries.

The grant funding is important as it is expected to bolster charging infrastructure and decrease the cost parity of EVs with its ICE counterparts; two factors which are the key impediments to successful EV uptake in UK.

The ban is expected to get most petrol and diesel cars off the roads within the next decade, thereby cutting out carbon emissions from the largest emitter and significantly reducing air pollution.

This is also being touted as a politically sound move. The UK will host the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (CoP 26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change global climate conference in 2021. Britain has also pledged reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

Through his Green Industrial Revolution, PM Johnson has elucidated his commitment to fighting climate change, thus quashing all criticism that the UK is not adequately funding initiatives to address the climate risks. It is also a part of UK?? pitch to put environment at the heart of the post-pandemic recovery process, especially now in the wake of Joe-Biden being elected as the next US President.

United Kingdom is the latest among many countries to outlaw fuel-powered vehicles as a step to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Norway, at present, leads the pack, and has a ban in place within the next five years.

Other nations such as Ireland, Israel, Slovenia, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands and Sweden have also set 2030 as the deadline to mark the end of petrol and diesel vehicle sales. Closer home, Sri Lanka is likely to implement the ban by 2040, along with France and Singapore.

It is expected that several other countries would follow in the coming years, as per their emission reduction strategies. While the United States (it was headed by Donald Trump then) has not announced any such move, a lot of change is expected with Joe Biden at the helm.

At present, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that directs state regulators to devise mechanisms, which will require automobile manufacturers to sell more of zero emission vehicles in the state, until they make up 100 per cent of all new vehicle sales by 2035.

Effectively, sale of new gas and diesel run cars would be banned in the state of California from 2035.

What does this mean for India?

Primarily, with many countries adopting the ban in the near future, manufacturing of combustion engine vehicles may not be financially attractive for the international car makers. Thus, with an inevitable decline in global sales, auto makers might offer fewer combustion powered models.

This, in turn may boost car sales of Indian companies, which a currently sluggish domestic auto sector needs. While this is good news in the short run, it might be counterproductive for India?? EV plans in the longer term.

While India is still many years away from similar initiatives of phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles, it has a lot of scope to create a demand for EVs to fulfill its targets of becoming an electric vehicle nation by 2030.

Source: Down to earth Nov. 2020, authored by Swagata Dey.

The plan focuses on increasing ambition in the following areas:

Advancing offshore wind
Driving the growth of low carbon hydrogen
Delivering new and advanced nuclear power
Accelerating the shift to zero emission vehicles
Green public transport, cycling and walking
??et zero??and green ships
Greener buildings
Investing in carbon capture, usage and storage
Protecting our natural environment
Green finance and innovation

Technology

ARAPL Reports 175% EBITDA Growth, Expands Global Robotics Footprint

Affordable Robotic & Automation posts strong Q2 and H1 FY26 results driven by innovation and overseas orders

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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Affordable Robotic & Automation Limited (ARAPL), India’s first listed robotics firm and a pioneer in industrial automation and smart robotic solutions, has reported robust financial results for the second quarter and half year ended September 30, 2025.
The company achieved a 175 per cent year-on-year rise in standalone EBITDA and strong revenue growth across its automation and robotics segments. The Board of Directors approved the unaudited financial results on October 10, 2025.

Key Highlights – Q2 FY2026
• Strong momentum across core automation and robotics divisions
• Secured the first order for the Atlas AC2000, an autonomous truck loading and unloading forklift, from a leading US logistics player
• Rebranded its RaaS product line as Humro (Human + Robot), symbolising collaborative automation between people and machines
• Expanded its Humro range in global warehouse automation markets
• Continued investment in deep-tech innovations, including AI-based route optimisation, autonomy kits, vehicle controllers, and digital twins
Global Milestone: First Atlas AC2000 Order in the US

ARAPL’s US-based subsidiary, ARAPL RaaS (Humro), received its first order for the next-generation Atlas AC2000 autonomous forklift from a leading logistics company. Following successful prototype trials, the client placed an order for two robots valued at Rs 36 million under a three-year lease. The project opens opportunities for scaling up to 15–16 robots per site across 15 US warehouses within two years.
The product addresses an untapped market of 10 million loading docks across 21,000 warehouses in the US, positioning ARAPL for exponential growth.

Financial Performance – Q2 FY2026 (Standalone)
Net Revenue: Rs 25.7587 million, up 37 per cent quarter-on-quarter
EBITDA: Rs 5.9632 million, up 396 per cent QoQ
Profit Before Tax: Rs 4.3808 million, compared to a Rs 360.46 lakh loss in Q1
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.1854 lakh, representing 216 per cent QoQ growth
On a half-year basis, ARAPL reported a 175 per cent rise in EBITDA and returned to profitability with Rs 58.08 lakh PAT, highlighting strong operational efficiency and improved contribution from core businesses.
Consolidated Performance – Q2 FY2026
Net Revenue: Rs 29.566 million, up 57% QoQ
EBITDA: Rs 6.2608 million, up 418 per cent QoQ
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.5672 million, marking a 224 per cent QoQ improvement

Milind Padole, Managing Director, ARAPL said, “Our Q2 results reflect the success of our innovation-led growth strategy and the growing global confidence in ARAPL’s technology. The Atlas AC2000 order marks a defining milestone that validates our engineering strength and accelerates our global expansion. With a healthy order book and continued investment in AI and autonomous systems, ARAPL is positioned to lead the next phase of intelligent industrial transformation.”
Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Pune, Affordable Robotic & Automation Ltd (ARAPL) delivers turnkey robotic and automation solutions across automotive, general manufacturing, and government sectors. Its offerings include robotic welding, automated inspection, assembly automation, automated parking systems, and autonomous driverless forklifts.
ARAPL operates five advanced plants in Pune spanning 350,000 sq ft, supported by over 400 engineers in India and seven team members in the US. The company also maintains facilities in North Carolina and California, and service centres in Faridabad, Mumbai, and San Francisco.

Technology

M.E. Energy Bags Rs 490 Mn Order for Waste Heat Recovery Project

Second major EPC contract from Ferro Alloys sector strengthens company’s growth

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kilburn Engineering Ltd and a leading Indian engineering company specialising in energy recovery and cost reduction, has secured its second consecutive major order worth Rs 490 million in the Ferro Alloys sector. The order covers the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of a 12 MW Waste Heat Recovery Based Power Plant (WHRPP).

This repeat order underscores the Ferro Alloys industry’s confidence in M.E. Energy’s expertise in delivering efficient and sustainable energy solutions for high-temperature process industries. The project aims to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions by converting waste heat into clean power.

“Securing another project in the Ferro Alloys segment reinforces our strong technical credibility. It’s a proud moment as we continue helping our clients achieve sustainability and cost efficiency through innovative waste heat recovery systems,” said K. Vijaysanker Kartha, Managing Director, M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd.

“M.E. Energy’s expansion into sectors such as cement and ferro alloys is yielding solid results. We remain confident of sustained success as we deepen our presence in steel and carbon black industries. These achievements reaffirm our focus on innovation, technology, and energy efficiency,” added Amritanshu Khaitan, Director, Kilburn Engineering Ltd

With this latest order, M.E. Energy has already surpassed its total external order bookings from the previous financial year, recording Rs 138 crore so far in FY26. The company anticipates further growth in the second half, supported by a robust project pipeline and the rising adoption of waste heat recovery technologies across industries.

The development marks continued momentum towards FY27, strengthening M.E. Energy’s position as a leading player in industrial energy optimisation.

Technology

NTPC Green Energy Partners with Japan’s ENEOS for Green Fuel Exports

NGEL signs MoU with ENEOS to supply green methanol and hydrogen derivatives

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL), a subsidiary of NTPC Limited, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan’s ENEOS Corporation to explore a potential agreement for the supply of green methanol and hydrogen derivative products.

The MoU was exchanged on 10 October 2025 during the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. It marks a major step towards global collaboration in clean energy and decarbonisation.
The partnership centres on NGEL’s upcoming Green Hydrogen Hub at Pudimadaka in Andhra Pradesh. Spread across 1,200 acres, the integrated facility is being developed for large-scale green chemical production and exports.

By aligning ENEOS’s demand for hydrogen derivatives with NGEL’s renewable energy initiatives, the collaboration aims to accelerate low-carbon energy transitions. It also supports NGEL’s target of achieving a 60 GW renewable energy portfolio by 2032, reinforcing its commitment to India’s green energy ambitions and the global net-zero agenda.