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Indo-French Workshop launched for green transition to EVs & hydrogen energy

Dr. S. Chandrasekhar, Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, launched the Indo-French Workshop on Clean and Sustainable Energy Technologies (INFINITE) at the CSIR National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi. The workshop is being held from February 21 to 24, 2023. With this, India calls for greater cooperation with France in the field of clean energy and highlights New Delhi’s plans for a green transition to EVs and hydrogen energy.

India to generate up to 2,100 GW of solar energy through Thar Desert

According to the Secretary, the government had set a goal of installing 100 GW of solar energy by 2022. Notably, he also said that by using the Thar Desert as a site for solar power generation, India is estimated to generate up to 2,100 GW of solar energy. Thar, the world’s 9th-largest hot subtropical desert, is an arid region situated in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. The climate is defined by its extremes. Winter temperatures approach freezing, while summer temperatures soar over 50°C. The use of a large arid resource to generate solar power in a sustainable way could be a huge hit in the energy sector.

The Indian renewable sector ranks 4th on the list of the world’s most attractive renewable energy sectors, and solar energy is the most abundant source of renewable power in the country.

National Biofuel Policy

Secretary, Dr. Chandrasekhar, referred to another initiative by the Government of India - the National Biofuel Policy, which aims to achieve a 20% blending of ethanol in petrol and a 5% blending of biodiesel in diesel by 2030.

He pointed out that an area to focus on is Carbon Capture and Storage and as estimated by NITI Aayog, theoretically, India has a total geological CO2 storage capacity of 400-600 Gt considering the depleted oil and gas reservoirs, un-mineable coal seams, saline aquifers, basalts, etc. He said the Government has designed policies, programmes, and a liberal environment to attract foreign investments and ramp up the country’s participation in the renewable energy market at a rapid rate.

Objective of INFINITE

The objective of the Indo-French workshop is to bring together experts, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders from both countries to exchange knowledge, ideas, and best practices on the development and deployment of clean and sustainable energy technologies.

The workshop will feature a range of presentations and discussions on various topics related to Solar Energy, Hydrogen Energy, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage, Electrochemical Energy Storage, and Clean Fuels.

The Department of Science and Technology aims to encourage international collaborations on clean energy research. “I hope the process and technologies that will be discussed in this workshop will be of enormous potential in mitigating the impact of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” the Secretary said.

Antoine Petit, CEO of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), expressed appreciation for the strong partnership between the two countries and emphasised the importance of collaboration in achieving a sustainable energy transition through new bilateral programmes.

The event has been jointly organised by CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR), Dhanbad, and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France, and is being supported by the Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research (CEFIPRA).

 

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