INDIA NEEDS NEW ENERGY MIX TO ACHIEVE NET ZERO EMISSIONS: IEA
NEW DELHI: India needs to adopt transformational changes in its energy mix to be able to transition to net zero emissions by the mid-2060s, according to the India Energy Outlook report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) released on Tuesday.
Net zero emissions mean that any new greenhouse gas emissions are balanced by absorbing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere.
To achieve net zero emissions by the 2060s, India’s energy sector will need “profound transformation,” the IEA said. India will have to shift away from coal, and solar photovoltaic cells will have to take up coal’s share of electricity generation a full decade ahead of what current policies envisage, the report said.
NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: When India’s first manned space mission, Gaganyaan lifts off next year, marking the beginning off a new era in India’s exploration of space, the astronauts (or vyomanauts as India will call them) on board will carry a selection of special foods developed by a military laboratory which has been experimenting with ingredients for almost two years, people familiar with the development said.
The menu will offer the vyomanauts — fighter pilots from the Indian Air Force who are undergoing training in Russia — a variety of options to suit their palate during the seven-day mission: chicken biryani, chicken korma, shahi paneer, dal-chawal, aloo paratha, preserved chappatis, dal makhni, khichdi and beans in sauce.
Even the humble mango pickle figures on the menu prepared by Mysuru-based Defence Food Research Laboratory that comes under the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
DFRL’S Space Food and Logistics wing, which showcased its products at Aero India-2021 held at Yelahanka air base last week, has catered to the sweet tooth of the vyomanauts with offerings such as moong dal halwa, sooji halwa, dried apricots, and a range of flavoured
energy bars, the people added, asking not to be named.
“We have focused on nutrient adequacy and wholesomeness. Low fragmentation is equally critical in the zero-gravity environment. The astronauts will eat three meals a day, with the diet adding up to 2,500 calories,” said a senior scientist with DFRL.
The laboratory has prepared the menu in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), which is in charge of the mission. “American astronauts carry food that suits their taste. So do the Russians. We Indians like saying ‘it tastes just like home food.’ And home food is what our astronauts will carry,” said a second scientist.
The foods (essentially in paste
form) carried by Indian astronauts will be packed in 100gm/200gm packets. The contents of the food kits for the space flight will vary with the individual preferences of the astronauts.
“The final composition of the space flight is not known yet but four Indian astronauts are being trained in Russia. The idea is to give them balanced meals that are light weight, low volume and easy to consume. The packaging aspect is quite technical as liquids can’t be used,” said the first scientist.
The kits carried by the astronauts will include special straws (or what the DFRL calls liquid delivery system) for drinking water and instant coffee/tea, food warmers, and waste restraining bags.