Possibly reflecting a shift in the policy paradigm for climate change and clean energy, officials of the Narenda Modi government adopted a relatively conciliatory tone towards their interlocutors in the U.S. as they outlined an extensive plan for adopting clean technology and eschewed the prior line of urging the West for financial mitigation support.
On Monday, top officials gathered here on the sidelines of the >bilateral Strategic and Commercial Dialogue to hold the Ministerial Energy Dialogue at the U.S. Department of Energy, with the Indian delegation led by Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and American delegation led by Ernest Moniz, Secretary of Energy.
Last month, news reports noted that Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian may have advised the Modi administration to “stop insisting that the developed countries provide financing for poor countries to fight climate change,” and in doing so New Delhi may distance itself from the position of nations such as China and instead cement the reputation of the Prime Minister as an international leader.
Indeed, this week Mr. Goyal emphasised the objective of the Government of India to provide 24x7 power across India by 2019 by creating cost effective infrastructure which was sustainable and inclusive of clean energy solutions, a statement from the Indian embassy here noted.
The Minister further underscored the links between the >plan to construct 100 smart cities and the creation of a blueprint for power generation, “usage of renewables and energy efficiency technologies, comprehensive waste management programme; and usage of waste to energy technologies.”
While leaders from both sides discussed various aspects of integration of clean energy sources into existing energy infrastructure in India, and avenues for advancing off-grid clean energy access, the Indian side’s focus was on identifying “aspects of technical assistance in Energy sector as well as launch of pilot projects which can be scaled up at a later stage,” rather than request funding for adaption or mitigation activities.
On one issue there appeared to be firm continuity in India’s strategy, the reliance on coal-based energy as a lifeline for economic growth.
“While recognising that coal based power plants would continue to be the mainstay of India's electricity generation source in the coming decades, the Indian delegation urged the U.S. to share technology related to supercritical coal plants as well as share best practices and tools to improve efficiency and carbon footprint of existing power plants,” the embassy added.
Meanwhile the U.S. message’ to New Delhi on the need to stay focused on clean-tech use was unambiguous, particularly at the Sixth U.S.-India Energy Partnership Summit, which was hosted here on Monday by The Energy and Resources Institute.
At the event Amos Hochstein, U.S. Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs, said India was “well-suited to lead” the energy transformation to a clean and renewable energy future.
Some key areas that the Summit proceedings encompassed a road map for the convergence of India’s 175 GW renewable energy vision and its “Make in India” mission, TERI officials said.
