India, Finland discuss collaboration in emerging technologies for clean energy production

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a meeting with Finland Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde on September 30 to explore opportunities in emerging technologies in clean and efficient energy production. In a series of tweets, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural gas said that the duo reviewed the progress of completion of a 2G Ethanol plant in Numaligarh using bamboo as the feedstock.

According to the ministry, the 2G Ethonal plant is the first of its kind in the world, built under JV between NRL and Finnish companies Chemopolis and Fortum. Pradhan reportedly highlighted the vast investment opportunities in India's expanding clean energy market and encouraged Finnish companies to invest in the development of clean fuels, including under waste-to-energy model.

Pradhan held another meeting with Australian Ambassador to India Barry O'Farrell to discuss several aspects of cooperation in the energy sector. The ministry said that discussed the participation of Australian companies to actively partner and invest in India’s gas infrastructure and in developing the hydrocarbon value chain in India.

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EU-India cooperation

The meeting was held days after the European Union and the Indian government stepped up cooperation on research and innovation on green projects under EU’s ‘Horizon 2020’ programme. The 27-member bloc and India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have identified five areas for collaboration between researchers and innovators of India and Europe.

DBT will co-fund projects in several areas including clean, affordable and secure energy; industry for a clean and circular economy; and biodiversity and ecosystem services. The EU delegation stated that the five calls are part of the last and largest call launched by the European Union under its research and innovation programme with a €1 billion budget.

“These research projects will work towards a green, resilient and sustainable tomorrow. This EU-India collaboration also highlights our strong commitment to support the Paris Agreement as well as the UN's Sustainable Development Goals,” Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India, had said in a statement.

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(Image: Twitter / @PetroleumMin)