India Strengthens Cooperation on Renewable Energy with the United States: A View by Union Minister Hardeep Puri
India continues to strengthen cooperation with the United States on sustainable energy issues. This was reflected during high-level discussions relating to cooperation in energy, innovation in renewable energy, and mutual endeavours toward realizing global sustainability goals. Speaking on the importance of these bilateral talks, Puri said, “India draws plenty of strength from the capability of working with the US on sustainable energy initiatives and is pushing each step of country’s progress in spheres like biofuels, green hydrogen, and energy efficiency.
It took up bilateral talks with US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm: Hardeep Puri elaborates bilateral talks to ANI and other media houses. He said that bilateral talks that he was having with US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm come under the larger umbrella of the US-India Strategic Energy Cooperation partnership which is a long-standing program underway with the express purpose of enhancing cooperation in the area of renewable energy. Co-ordination cuts across departments of the government. “Various departments of the government were actively engaged on both sides,” said Puri.
These sub-groups deal with: power and energy efficiency, renewable energy. in these groups the concerned departments of Government of India meet their counterparts in US government to review progress and plan future initiatives. The work done has been impressive. Today, we cooperate in the context of the global biofuel alliance and the development of green hydrogen.
Advances in Biofuel and Green Hydrogen Partnership
This is one of the most important outcomes of the US-India energy partnership, namely mutual commitment toward advancement in development and deployment of biofuels. As one of the founding members of the Global Biofuel Alliance with the US and Brazil, India has shown an exemplary growth in blending ethanol and embracing biofuends in recent years. The said minister is claiming that the country not only met but exceeded the blended fuel of ethanol, which the country committed at 10 percent of general consumption five years ahead of the deadline. From having already set a target to 20 percent blending by 2025, India is now achieving it.
“When Prime Minister Modi came in May 2014, we were blending only 1.5% of our total fuel with biofuels. We had a target of 10% by November 2022, and we achieved it five months in advance. Our next target is 20% blending by 2030, but we are confident of reaching that by October 2025,” Puri said.
Other than biofuels, it encompasses advanced green hydrogen on which India and the US are actively cooperating. That will be one of the vital clean energy sources through which it is possible to enable an economy low in carbon concentration in the environment that could be effective in reducing carbon emissions globally. Puri underscored the need for cooperation continuing in this area as well, pointing out to the Green Hydrogen Conference recently held in Delhi as one of the partner countries forming the basis of the effort.
The Role of MoUs and Future Collaborations
During the visit of Hardeep Puri in the US, several MoUs will be signed between India and the US. The outcome will come out to be the enhanced basis of cooperation in energy exploration and production and sustainable technologies. Puri is supposed to visit Houston, and there had been a lot of anticipation that it would lead to further events to push forward the energy sector of India. The MoUs in these fields would address renewable energy development, clean technology innovation, and stability in the global market for energy.
Several MoUs would be signed here in Houston to take our exploration and production sector to the next level. Prime Minister Modi had resolved to open up 1 million square kilometers of India’s sedimentary basin for global collaboration in exploration. We invite other global entities to come and prospect there, he shared, indicating that India is actively seeking foreign partnerships in its energy transition journey.
India’s resolve on oil trade and global energy stability
He did, however, talk about the sensitive matter of oil trade between India and Russia when global concern about energy security keeps mounting. According to Puri, despite all the geopolitics in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Western countries haven’t directly asked India to stop buying Russian oil. Still, he argues India needs to ensure that the global energy market remains stable and does not allow disruption of Russian oil supply to cause prices rocketing through the roof.
“There was never a suggestion that India should stop purchasing Russian oil during nearly three years that I have been with this ministry”, Puri clarified. “Russia produces 13 million barrels of crude per day and if that were to go offline, global prices would go through the roof at USD 120-130 per barrel. Actually, Europe still buys more energy from Russia than India does.”
The Union Minister further elaborated that the only suggestion made by the Western world was to set a price cap over the acquisition of commodities from the Russian Federation. The union minister said, “Such a price cap has been on place and the world oil market has, relatively. Puri appreciated the prudent energy acquisition policies of India that had enabled it to maintain stable supplies while supporting global market conditions.
Looking Ahead: USA-India Energy Cooperation
In such a climatologically confused world between climate change and energy security, sustainable usage of energy cooperation between India and the United States is the paramount way forward. Countries are progressively advancing research and development into the utilization of biofuels, green hydrogen, and new sources of energy which will soon pave the way for a more sustainable future. The visit by Indian union minister to the United States, Hardeep Puri reiterates India’s commitment once again towards the energy transition goals besides the commitment towards the global partnerships which are attaining such objectives.
From a series of announcements, India appears to be moving at a rapid pace on ethanol blending, green hydrogen plans, and cooperation with the US concerning energy security and technology. As Puri talks his way through the US, both nations are likely to further strengthen cooperation in the energy sector to make the global energy market both sustainable and resilient.
Conclusion
India’s foray into co-operation with the United States on sustainable energy enhances bilateral relations while significantly contributing towards the country’s input in meeting global energy challenges. With so many MoUs lined up and continued cooperation on renewables, biofuels, and green hydrogen, the prognosis on this partnership is as bright as ever.
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