India and EU boost cooperation in advancing clean energy and climate goals

With a focused approach on strengthening joint efforts between the EU and India, Minister Singh outlined the growing electricity demands faced by India, with the country projected to double its capacity to 416 GW by 2030 . He said that despite India’s low per capita capacity and cumulative emissions, the nation has emerged as a leader in both energy transition and climate action.

Storage is needed to provide round-the-clock renewable energy and transition to Net Zero. The government is bidding for more storage and encouraging other countries to add manufacturing facilities,” Singh said.

The minister also proposed joint pilots between India and the EU in areas such as green steel and other frontier technologies. He mentioned India’s ongoing pilot for round-the-clock renewables, which uses hydrogen and ammonia as storage.

The Executive Vice President of the European Green Deal praised India for its leadership in renewable energy and energy efficiency. He suggested bringing the energy efficiency agenda to the global stage and setting up global energy efficiency targets.

RK Singh and the EU delegation discussed opportunities for collaboration in grid-scale battery-based energy storage systems, with India emerging as an important market for green mobility. He also noted the need to detoxify agriculture and ensure access to clean energy for energy-deficient populations.

The European Union delegation included Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India and other representatives. The Indian delegation included Energy Secretary Alok Kumar and New and Renewable Energy Secretary Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, among others.

Updated: May 27, 2023, 02:38 PM IST