Here are some noteworthy cleantech announcements of the day from around the world:

Minister of State of New & Renewable Energy Bhagwanth Khuba stated that the Finance Ministry had approved central finance assistance (CFA) for solar pumps up to 15 HP capacity in the northeastern and the Himalayan States, considering their topography. Around 10% of the total CFA allocated will be extended for community farming in high water table areas with restrictions on the number of high-capacity pumps. A higher CFA of 50% of the benchmark cost or the cost discovered through tender, whichever is lower, is being provided for the installation of standalone solar pumps under component-B of the PM-KUSUM Program. The higher CFA also applies to s individual grid-connected solar agriculture pumps under Component-C of the Program in north-eastern and hilly states and the union territories.

The European Commission approved Germany’s €2.98 billion (~$3.04 billion) funding program for green district heating. Grants will be provided to district heating network operators to finance feasibility studies and construct heating networks powered by at least 75% renewable energy or waste heat.  Heating network operators will be able to receive operating aid for the generation of renewable heat through solar thermal installations and heat pumps. The program will run until August 30, 2028, and is expected to support the installation of ~681 MW of renewable heat generation capacity annually.

Inox Wind bagged an order from NTPC Renewable Energy to commission a 200 MW wind power project in Gujarat. Inox will supply and install DF 113/92 – 2 MW wind turbine generators with 113 meters rotor diameter and 92 meters hub height. Common infrastructure facilities like 220 kV pooling substation at Dayapar and extra high voltage transmission lines have been commissioned. Inox will provide comprehensive operation and maintenance for the project. The project is scheduled for commissioning by January 2024.

Hydrogen technology company Aurora Hydrogen raised $10 million in Series A funding led by Energy Innovation Capital. Participating investors include Williams, Shell Ventures, Chevron Technology Ventures, and the George Kaiser Family Foundation. This funding adds to additional funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada that the team received earlier this year. The funding will be used to build and operate a 200 kg-H2/day demonstration plant for field trials in Edmonton, Canada. Aurora is scaling its microwave pyrolysis technology to produce hydrogen and solid carbon without generating CO2 emissions or consuming water. Aurora claims its hydrogen production technology can potentially reduce global CO2 emissions by over 900 million tons annually.