Union Power And NRE Minister R. K. Singh Meets EU Delegation

The meeting between Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R. K. Singh and Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President of the European Green Deal, focused on cooperation under the EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. The discussions covered various aspects of clean energy and climate action, including energy efficiency, renewable energy (such as solar and offshore wind), green hydrogen, energy storage, diversification of the global energy supply chain, the International Solar Alliance, India’s presidency of the G20, and potential collaboration between India and the European Union in the clean energy transition.

Minister R. K. Singh highlighted India’s growing power demand and its efforts to double its 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. The Minister emphasized the need for manufacturing facilities for energy storage to bring down costs and enable round-the-clock renewable energy supply. India plans to add 80 GW of manufacturing capacity for solar cells and panels by 2030, meeting its own requirements and allowing for surplus exports. The Minister also proposed joint pilots between India and the EU in areas like green steel and frontier technologies.

Regarding green hydrogen, Minister Singh emphasized the importance of free and open trade to ensure the continued journey towards its adoption. He highlighted the need to increase electrolyser manufacturing capacity and mentioned India’s plan to launch a Production Linked Incentive bid for electrolyser manufacturing. The Executive Vice President of the European Green Deal praised India’s leadership in renewable energy and energy efficiency and suggested finding ways to bring the agenda of energy efficiency to the global stage.

The meeting also discussed collaboration in grid-scale battery-based energy storage systems and the potential for innovation in heat pumps. Minister Singh expressed India’s goal of detoxifying agriculture by transitioning away from chemical fertilizers. The issue of energy access for the global population, particularly in Africa, was also addressed. The International Solar Alliance’s role in bringing solar energy to those without access to energy was discussed, and a partnership involving the EU, ISA, Africa, and India was proposed to address this issue.

The European Green Deal aims to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy with no net emissions of greenhouse gases 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 finance the European Green Deal.