The third UK-India Energy for Growth Dialogue concluded on Friday, with Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh and UK Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng agreeing a new joint programme on smart power and renewable energy.
Smart Power, Renewable Energy and Storage programme will complement ongoing efforts to promote efficient power distribution, industrial energy efficiency, electric vehicles, solar and offshore wind generation and energy storage.
The UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said the ministers endorsed the “ambitious” forward action plan, with the first action on this agenda being to initiate the joint programme on Smart Power, Renewable Energy and Storage.
“As we gear up to host the UN COP26 summit next month, today the UK and India have made important progress in outlining how this deep partnership can continue to deliver green growth for both countries powered by clean energy,” said Kwarteng.
“Supporting the move to clean energy is a shared priority, and our new joint programme on smart power, renewable energy and storage will help to increase investment in renewable projects, while creating new high skilled jobs across both nations as we build back greener,” he said.
In addition to providing a springboard for India’s renewable energy market in areas such as offshore wind, BEIS said the agreed joint programme will help to create digital solutions for power distribution companies, improving industrial energy efficiency, and boosting electric mobility in ways that maximise business opportunities and investments.
Both ministers also discussed how COP26, to be held in Glasgow between November 1 and 12, is an opportunity to show global leadership on clean energy, including the expected launch of the UK and Indian government’s Global Green Grids – One Sun One World One Grid Initiative, by delegations of UK and India.
“This initiative will bring together an international coalition of national governments, financial organisations, and power system operators to accelerate the construction of new infrastructure needed to deliver a massive scale-up of secure, reliable and affordable power, such as modern, flexible grids, charging points, and electricity interconnectors,” BEIS said.
During Friday’s dialogue, both sides highlighted India’s advancement of solar energy to power the Indian Railways, welcoming close collaboration through the India-led International Solar Alliance, which aims to mobilise more than $1 trillion of investments in solar energy by 2030.
“Action on climate change is a central pillar of the 2030 Roadmap agreed by Prime Ministers Modi and Johnson,” said Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India.
“The Energy Dialogue today advanced our joint agenda to develop clean energy to support sustainable growth for both our economies,” he said.
The ministers highlighted the importance of a “strong, home-grown renewable energy sector” being the cornerstone for building a secure energy system.
“Decarbonisation also provides excellent opportunities to create green jobs, champion gender inclusivity, and drive economic growth across both India and the UK,” BEIS said.
Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the Energy Sector in November 2015, a regular ministerial energy dialogue was instituted between India and the UK in April 2017 and the second one took place in 2018.
Friday’s dialogue marked the third instalment, which is aimed at strengthening India-UK collaboration on accelerating the move to global clean energy in the decade ahead.
