US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership launched to accelerate climate & energy agenda

Taking the India-US partnership a step forward, New Delhi, on Thursday, held a ministerial meeting with Washington wherein it launched a much-awaited energy project. The virtual meet was co-chaired by Indian Petroleum Minister Hardeep S Puri and his American counterpart Jennifer Granholm, both of whom jointly launched the US-India Strategic Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership. The project was announced earlier in April by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden at the Leaders’ Climate Summit.   

"We will intensify efforts to take advantage of the complementarities of both the countries -- advanced US technologies and rapidly growing India's energy market -- for a win-win situation. Our collective efforts will focus on developing a cleaner energy roadmap with low carbon pathways," Puri was quoted as saying by PTI. 

During the meeting, both the leaders reviewed progress on India-US Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation under which New Delhi agreed to separate its military and civil nuclear facilities. The leaders also deliberated upon the progress made in the arenas of power and energy efficiency, responsible oil and gas, renewable energy, sustainable growth and emerging fuels. The two sides also announced the addition of a fifth Pillar on Emerging Fuels, which signals joint resolve to promote clean energy fuels, according to All India Radio. Apart from the aforementioned, both sides also announced a new Task Force on Biofuels to enhance cooperation in the sector. 

"Moved towards institutionalisation of India Energy Modeling Forum with the constitution of Six Task Forces for carrying out research and modelling in different areas. Look forward to working closely with Granholm for achieving concrete results,' Puri said in a tweet.

US Climate Envoy lauds India 

Earlier, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry lauded India for its sustainable energy policies talking about how Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decisions were powering a growing economy with clean energy. The US Envoy also congratulated India for setting a target of 450 GW of renewables by 2030, citing how the International Energy Agency's special report on India spoke about the nation's rise as a solar energy superpower. 

"Prime Minister Modi's announcement of a target of 450 GW of renewables by 2030 sets a very strong example of power how to power a growing economy with clean energy. Recent International Energy Agency's special report on India noted that you are on pace to become a global market leader in solar & storage by 2040. Thanks to your rapid scale-up, it is already cheaper to build solar energy in India than anywhere else in the world," he said.

Image: Hardeep Puri/Twitter