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  • 14/07/2006

waste power: The California State Assembly has recently approved a law to increase the production of renewable energy in the state. The bill, ab 1969, will allow public water and wastewater agencies to sell environment-friendly energy to electrical companies, which they produce in the form of hydro-electricity, solar and biogas energy. The energy generated by these agencies will add up around 250 mw energy to the state grid.

Currently, hydroelectric energy is being wasted at small and medium-sized water agencies because the law does not permit them to tap the resource.

oxygen on sale: A Japanese convenience store operator, Seven-Eleven Japan, has announced it will add cans of oxygen to its shelves. With oxygen emerging as a popular new product and with increasing demand of oxygen bars that provide oxygen for customers to breathe in, the idea behind the product is to allow buyers to replenish their oxygen levels anytime they feel fatigued or stressed. It will sell oxygen in small portable cans with an oxygen concentration of 95 per cent. Normal air contains only about 21 per cent.

back door: Spice importers in India now have a new trick: they present spices procured from any third country as being of Sri Lankan origin and claim customs duty exemption provided under the Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. Officials of the directorate of revenue intelligence recently seized a consignment imported by a Chhenai-based firm.

The importer had stated that the cloves were of Sri Lankan origin and claimed duty exemption. When the authorities got in touch with the Sri Lankan authorities, the certificates were found forged and actually issued to some other firm. The matter is now under investigation with Sri Lanka's help.

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