Union Power Minister and European Green Deal Executive Vice President discuss cooperation, energy storage, and renewable energy advancements
India and European Union (EU) officials met in New Delhi to discuss cooperation under the EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. The meeting, held on May 26, 2023, between Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R. K. Singh and Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President of the European Green Deal, focused on various aspects of the clean energy transition.
During the meeting, Minister Singh highlighted India’s growing power demand, emphasizing the need to double the country’s power generation capacity by 2030. Despite having low per capita and cumulative emissions, India has emerged as a leader in energy transition and climate action.
Singh informed the EU delegation about India’s efforts to ramp up renewable energy capacity. He mentioned the upcoming manufacturing facilities for advanced solar cells and panels, aiming for a total capacity of 80 GW by 2030. This expansion will not only meet India’s domestic requirements but also allow for surplus exports, addressing global supply chain challenges.
The minister stressed the importance of energy storage for providing round-the-clock renewable energy and achieving the transition to Net Zero. The Indian government is planning to introduce bids for additional storage capacity and has already initiated a bid for the Production Linked Incentive for energy storage. Singh sought the EU’s cooperation in encouraging other countries to establish manufacturing facilities for energy storage, which would contribute to lowering storage costs.
Singh also proposed joint pilots between India and the EU in areas such as green steel and other frontier technologies, mentioning India’s pilot project for round-the-clock renewables using hydrogen and ammonia as storage. He highlighted the need for free and open trade in the journey towards green hydrogen, stating the importance of increasing electrolyser manufacturing capacity.
The Executive Vice President of the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, commended India’s leadership in renewable energy and energy efficiency. He suggested promoting energy efficiency globally and establishing global energy efficiency targets. Timmermans emphasized the significance of developing industrial ecosystems that promote renewables and mentioned Europe’s advancements in new generations of solar panels and the growing global market for green hydrogen.
The officials discussed collaboration opportunities in grid-scale battery-based energy storage systems, particularly for green mobility. India aims to become one of the largest markets for green mobility by 2030. They also highlighted the need to transition away from chemical fertilizers in agriculture.
Another topic of discussion was the lack of energy access for 800 million people worldwide, particularly in Africa. The International Solar Alliance’s role in bringing solar energy to these regions was emphasized, and the need for a partnership between the EU, ISA, Africa, and India to address this issue was acknowledged.
The European Green Deal is an initiative aimed at transforming the EU into a resource-efficient, competitive, and greenhouse gas emission-free economy by 2050. One-third of the €1.8 trillion investments from the Next Generation EU Recovery Plan and the EU’s seven-year budget will support the European Green Deal’s goals.
The meeting was attended by various officials, including Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India, and representatives from the EU delegation. The Indian side was represented by Alok Kumar, Power Secretary, Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, New & Renewable Energy Secretary, and other ministry officials.
The EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership signifies a shared commitment to combat climate change and accelerate the clean energy transition, fostering cooperation between the two regions.
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