24-January-2024-Daily-Current-Affairs

INDIA’S ACME AND JAPAN’S IHI SIGN FOR GREEN AMMONIA SUPPLY DEAL

SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT – SOURCE: DDNEWS

India’s ACME Group and Japan’s IHI Corporation have inked a pivotal agreement for the supply of green ammonia. This collaboration aims to revolutionize the energy sector, emphasizing the global shift towards sustainable fuels like green hydrogen and ammonia.

Key Points:

1. Offtake Term Sheet:
   • ACME and IHI have signed an offtake term sheet for the supply of 0.4 MMTPA of green ammonia from Odisha, India, to Japan.
   • The term sheet establishes a long-term partnership covering production, logistics, and supply to Japanese customers.
   • Focus on creating a market for green ammonia, particularly for power generation and industrial applications in Japan..
2. Green Hydrogen and Ammonia Project:
   • The project in Gopalpur, Odisha, with a planned capacity of 1.2 MMTPA, is set to start production by 2027.
   • Aims to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons of CO2 equivalent over its life cycle.

About Green Ammonia

Green ammonia is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional ammonia, produced using green hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources.

            

Benefits of Green Ammonia:

Reduced Environmental Impact:

• Significantly lowers greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a more environmentally friendly ammonia production process.

Versatile Sustainability:

• Benefits various industries like agriculture, transportation, and power generation, serving as a zero-emission fuel and sustainable fertilizer.

Global Climate Support:

• Helps achieve global climate goals by reducing the carbon footprint in key sectors and promoting a sustainable, eco-friendly approach.

Challenges of Producing Green Ammonia:

Technological Barriers:

• Current electrolysis tech and catalysts need improvement for higher efficiency and lower energy consumption in green ammonia production.

Economic Considerations:

• Green ammonia production costs are currently higher than traditional methods, posing challenges for market competitiveness.

Infrastructure and Scaling Issues:

• Investments in production facilities and renewable energy infrastructure are crucial to scale up green ammonia production and distribution.

SWEDEN SET TO BECOME NATO MEMBER

SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS – SOURCE: NEWS ON AIR

Sweden’s path to becoming a NATO member has reached a significant milestone as Turkey, a NATO member, approved Sweden’s membership bid. This approval from Turkey’s parliament is a crucial step, removing a major hurdle in the expansion of the Western military alliance.

Significance of Sweden’s NATO Membership:

1. Enhanced Regional Defense:
   • NATO’s influence along the Baltic coastline strengthens regional defense capabilities, particularly in the face of potential security challenges.
2. Logistical Advantages:
   • Sweden’s NATO membership facilitates easier transportation of troops and equipment via sea routes to the Baltic States, streamlining response mechanisms.
3. Strategic Balance:
   • This development contributes to maintaining a strategic balance in the region, fostering stability and security against potential threats.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization/North Atlantic Alliance.

Established on April 4, 1949, it’s an alliance of countries working together for mutual defense.

Member states agree to help each other if any faces an attack from a non-member.

Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium, at Boulevard Leopold III.

Purpose: Focuses on peace, security, and cooperation among member nations.

Military Alliance: Functions as a military alliance to ensure safety and protect against threats.

International Cooperation: Promotes collaboration globally for a safer world.

THE ROOFTOP SOLAR PLAN

SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT – SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS

India’s solar power initiative, including grid-connected rooftop systems, faces delays. The recent announcement of the Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana, focusing on rooftop solar installations for one crore houses, aims to revitalize the country’s solar efforts.

Background:

• Prime Minister Modi launched the rooftop solar initiative in 2014, with a target of 100 GW solar power by 2022.
• The rooftop solar component aimed for 40 GW, contributing 40% to the overall target.

Current Status:

• As of last year, India achieved only 73.3 GW of total solar capacity, with rooftop solar contributing around 11 GW.
• Disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and a less steep growth trajectory impacted progress.

Suryodaya Yojana:

• The new program targets households rather than installed capacity, aiming to install solar systems on one crore houses.
• It parallels initiatives in the U.S. and Europe that focused on residential rooftop solar.

Untapped Residential Potential:

• Current rooftop solar installations are primarily in commercial and industrial sectors, with the residential sector contributing only 20%.
• Approximately 25 crore households have the potential to deploy 637 GW of solar energy.

Feasibility and Scope:

• CEEW report suggests around 118 GW of rooftop solar power is feasible, contributing significantly to energy needs.
• Unlike large solar parks, rooftop solar’s potential is uniformly distributed across all states.

Objectives:

• Aligns with India’s commitment to having 50% of electricity generation from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
• Aims to ensure energy security, transition to non-fossil sources, and increase energy access.

Challenges and Solutions:

• Financial incentives alone are insufficient; the government needs to create an enabling environment.
• Learnings from ongoing programs can guide the design of successful models, requiring interventions to empower distribution companies without adding financial burdens.

HOW PHYSICISTS ARE MAKING SENSE OF THE MYSTERY OF PULSAR GLITCHES

SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY – SOURCE: THE HINDU

In the realm of astrophysics, pulsars, particularly their glitches, have intrigued scientists since their discovery in 1967.

The peculiar behavior of these rotating neutron stars has given rise to various theories.

Despite advances, a glitch observed in 1969 remains unexplained. With over 3,000 pulsars and around 700 glitches identified, physicists are delving into the intricate world of these celestial objects.

                            

Discovery of Pulsars:

• In 1967, astronomers at the University of Cambridge discovered the first pulsar, PSR B1919+21, while studying radio waves emitted by distant stars.
• Pulsars are rotating neutron stars formed from collapsing heavy star cores.

Neutron Stars and Gravity:

• Neutron stars, formed from imploding heavy star cores, resist gravity through neutron repulsion.
• When the collapse doesn’t lead to a black hole, a super-dense neutron star is formed.

Understanding Pulsar Rotation:

• Pulsars emit periodic signals due to rotating neutron stars.
• The rotation slows over time, and energy saved contributes to radio signal acceleration.

Post-Glitch Pattern:

• Plotting pulsar rotation rates over time reveals a decreasing pattern.
• During a glitch, the rate briefly increases before relaxing to the original value, suggesting an internal event.

Superfluid Clue:

• Glitch post-relaxation is surprisingly slow, hinting at a superfluid state inside neutron stars.
• Superfluids, with frictionless motion, involve vortices that rotate at varying speeds.

Origin of Glitches – Pinning Phenomenon:

• Neutron stars consist of a solid crust and a superfluid core without solid parts.
• Pinned vortices in the superfluid, influenced by the pinning phenomenon, impact the rotation during a glitch.
• As the crust slows down, vortices are unpinned, briefly increasing the rotation rate, causing a glitch.

Contested Details and Scientific Inquiry:

• Specifics of glitch mechanisms, triggers, and evolution are subjects of ongoing debate.
• Pulsar glitches offer a rich field for scientific exploration, aiding in understanding the intricate physics within neutron stars.

PRADHAN MANTRI RASHTRIYA BAL PURASKAR (PMRBP)

SUBJECT: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE – SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS

President honors 19 children with the PMRBP (Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar).

• Annual awards by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• Recognizes excellence in Bravery, Art & Culture, Environment, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service, and Sports for children aged 5–18.
• Awards comprise a medal, certificate, and citation booklet.
• Ceremony held a week before Republic Day.
• Awardees, except posthumous bravery cases, receive accolades personally.
• Eligibility limited to Indian citizens residing in India.

WADGE BANK ECOSYSTEM

SUBJECT: ECONOMY – SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS

Wadge Bank Ecosystem and Oil/Gas Exploration:

• Proposed oil and gas exploration may impact the Wadge Bank Ecosystem.
• Exploration under Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP).

Wadge Bank Ecosystem Overview:

• Located south of Cape Comorin in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district.
• Forms part of the Indian continental shelf.
• Among the world’s most productive coastal areas.

Unique Features:

• Situated at the meeting point of Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
• Experiences distinct water current patterns during southwest and northeast monsoons.

SMART LANDER FOR INVESTIGATING MOON (SLIM)

SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY – SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS

SLIM Moon Landing:

• Japanese spacecraft SLIM achieved a lunar landing.
• Japan becomes the fifth country to reach the moon’s surface.
• Other countries include India, the United States, Russia, and China.

About SLIM:

• Successfully demonstrated pinpoint landing technology.
• Known as “Moon Sniper” for its accuracy within 100 meters of the target.
• Objective: Accelerate the study of the Moon and planets with lighter exploration systems.

Agency:

• Conducted by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).