India, US agree to cooperate on clean energy

Washington, Dec 1 (PTI) India and the US have decided to scale up cooperation in the field of energy security and climate, reaching an agreement to launch an initiative on promoting the use of clean energy, including transfer of innovative technology.

As part of their cooperation in sustainable development, the two countries would encourage mobilisation of public and private resources to support establishment of funds that would invest in clean energy projects in India.

According to an MoU signed between the two countries during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s state visit here last week, India and the US will launch a process of bilateral collaboration to support their efforts to achieve sustainable, climate-friendly growth through the development, deployment and as appropriate transfer of transformative and innovative technologies in areas of mutual interest.

“This represents a major step forward in US–India partnerships to strengthen economic growth and energy security, while also addressing the threat of global climate change,” says the text of the MoU released by the State Department here Tuesday.

The priority initiative includes an Indo-US Clean Energy Research and Deployment Initiative, including a Joint Research Center to foster innovation and joint efforts to accelerate deployment of clean energy technologies.

The areas of focus for this initiative include solar energy, energy efficiency, smart grid, unconventional natural gas, second-generation bio-fuels, clean coal technologies including carbon capture and storage, and integrated gasification and combined cycle.

Other areas may include sustainable transportation, wind energy and micro-hydro power.

Under the MoU, the two countries also agreed to increase cooperation on scaling up solar energy and energy efficient buildings and advanced battery technologies.

Besides, they also agreed to boost cooperation on unconventional natural gas including cooperation on coal bed methane, natural gas hydrates and shale gas.

India and US also agreed to reduce emissions from land use, including reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation besides enhanced sequestration through afforestation, conservation and sustainable management of forests.

They further agreed to strengthen cooperation on adaptation and climate science, including through improved ocean, weather and climate observation and prediction capabilities, enhanced monsoon forecasts for agricultural community, flood control and water supply monitoring.

“India and the US are committed to work together for energy conservation and sustainable development – to achieve energy security, mitigate the effects of climate change and safeguard the environment through both national as well as multilateral initiatives,” the MoU says.  (PTI)