The Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R. K. Singh held a meeting with Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President, European Green Deal, European Union in New Delhi yesterday, May 26, 2023. The meeting was held to discuss cooperation under the EU – India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. The discussion touched upon energy efficiency; renewable energy, including solar and offshore wind, green hydrogen; energy storage, diversification of global supply chain for energy sector, the International Solar Alliance, India’s presidency of the G20 and how India and EU can partner each other on the clean energy transition.
The Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister observed that the industry is switching to green hydrogen and that if the journey is to continue, it will have to be on the basis of free and open trade, without barriers. He told the EU delegation that we should guard against protectionism. He also said that we need to increase electrolyser manufacturing capacity if we need to increase use of green hydrogen. India is going to come up with a PLI bid on that, he informed.
The Executive Vice President of European Green Deal appreciated India for its leadership in Renewable energy and energy efficiency and suggested that the two sides find ways to bring the agenda of energy efficiency to the global stage, and help set global energy efficiency targets.
The Executive Vice President spoke of the need for global targets in introduction of renewables and said that we need to look at developing industrial ecosystems which promote renewables. He said that the EU is developing new generations of solar panels and that green hydrogen is also taking off and Europe will become a truly global market. Given the high costs of transporting green hydrogen, he opined that the places producing green hydrogen will attract industrial investment.
