Current affairs 19 February 2025

India’s 1st Vertical Bifacial Solar Plant Inaugurated in New Delhi.

• Union Minister Manohar Lal inaugurated India’s first vertical bifacial solar plant on a metro viaduct in New Delhi.
• During the 5th International Conference on Green Metro Systems, he emphasized reducing fossil fuel use and promoting solar energy to address global warming and air pollution.
• The event also saw the launch of a 1-megawatt rooftop solar plant by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

IIT Guwahati Develops Self-Cleaning Heating Fabric.

• IIT Guwahati researchers developed a self-cleaning, flexible heating fabric for cold climates.
• The fabric aims to reduce health risks caused by prolonged exposure to extreme cold.
• The research findings were published in the journal Nano-Micro-Small, highlighting its potential to improve safety in cold environments.

India Expands Battery Manufacturing with PLI ACC Agreement.

• Ministry of Heavy Industries signed a Programme Agreement with Reliance New Energy Battery Ltd. under the Product Linked Incentive scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC), granting 10 GWh manufacturing capacity.
• The PLI ACC scheme, with ₹18,100 crore funding, aims for 50 GWh capacity, enhancing local battery production for electric vehicles and renewable energy.

DoT and ITU Collaborate on AI-Driven Digital Twin Technologies.

• Department of Technology and International Telecommunication Union signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate on AI-driven digital twin technologies & infrastructure planning.
• The partnership aims to drive innovation, promote global standards & support sustainable development through shared frameworks.
• India proposed to host the ITU-Plenipotentiary Conference 2030.

Gyanesh Kumar Appointed as New Chief Election Commissioner.

• Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner, replacing Rajiv Kumar.
• He is a 1988-batch IAS officer from Kerala & is senior to the other commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu & Vivek Joshi.
• The appointment was made by a three-member selection committee, marking the first CEC appointment under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioner Act, 2023.