The Quest for Sustainability: India, US Remain Committed to Green Energy — The resolve of India and the U.S. to transition to “green, clean and sustainable energy” would not be diminished by the turbulence in energy markets, India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said.

The minister’s comments were made on Friday, during a press briefing in Washington DC, on the second day of his visit to the American capital, against a backdrop of oil cartel Opec Plus’s announcement of supply cuts and Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier on Friday, Mr. Puri held discussions with his counterpart, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. This was followed by joint talks under the aegis of the U.S.- India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (USISCEP), on power and energy efficiency, renewable energy, responsible oil and gas, sustainable growth and emerging fuels and technologies.

Discussions included electrification of transport, grid integration and energy storage, industrial decarbonisation and emerging tech (hydrogen), according to India’s U.S. Ambassador, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who briefed the media on Mr. Puri’s schedule.

A joint statement that emerged from the USISCEP dialogue said that “amidst the volatility in global energy markets” and COVID recovery as well as climate challenges, the U.S. and India commit to speeding up “a just and sustainable” energy transition.

“The Ministers also underscored the importance of ensuring reliable energy supplies to ensure balanced energy markets, including India’s support for the U.S. initiative to release crude oil from the strategic petroleum reserves, and the importance of diversifying to clean energy sources,” the statement said.

The U.S. has drawn down more than a quarter of its petroleum stockpile since March. President Joe Biden had said on Wednesday that the country would continue the drawdown “as necessary” following an announcement by the Opec Plus oil producers’ cartel that it would be cutting supply by 2 million b

arrels per day from November.

The minister had also broached the subject of a U.S. – India ‘green corridor’ during his meetings with Ms Granholm, he said.

On Thursday, Mr. Puri met World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials and was the chief guest at a reception at India House, the Indian Ambassador’s official residence, with several U.S. government officials and members of the diaspora in attendance.

The minister is also scheduled to participate in a business roundtable in Washington DC with representatives from the oil and gas and renewable sectors, organised by the U.S. India Business Council (USIBC) . Mr. Puri is then scheduled to travel to Houston, Texas, for energy roundtables and meetings with CEOs.

-Sriram Lakshman

Media house: The Hindu

 

Article was published on date: October 07, 2022

Link to original article: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-has-handled-energy-crisis-in-responsible-and-mature-manner-says-union-minister-puri/article65979198.ece

Notes: apart from title change, the article has remained the same.

-------------------------------

Support change: A little favour to ask-We believe true freedom is to be able to act without fear or favour and that identity is not a “brand” to be abused, politicized, or reduced for personal gain. As Global Indians, the need to work together is greater now than ever before.  If we want to see real change, we need to create a better society for all, tackle injustice and plunge into the many aspects of what the human experience truly offers.The Global Indian Series has been built to be a platform of integrity, fairness and to remain fiercely independent of political influence. We are the first in the world to connect with every echelon of society with all human voices being treated equally.  We are the first to have travelled physically to locations far and wide, often putting our own lives on the line to bring forward stories that deserve to be told.  Whether it’s through our Podcast that delves into the human experience behind identity, our articles and features that cover key events we need to know, or live based events that tackle topical discussions, we have been there to support a better community and planet.Despite the high costs and time needed to maintain our work, we continue, because we know our work has helped more people understand what is happening within the communities across our planet, why it matters, and how, together, we can demand progress.  We challenge head-on, the silent divisions that have crept into our collective consciousness and how to tackle key issues that often go neglected in mainstream media.How you can help:Please share our work: By collaborating with others who share our values, our combined voices make change, with many more becoming inspired to take meaningful action.Subscribe to the platform:Many from across our community have decided to subscribe to our platform. It helps us grow which in turns attracts like-minded supporters. If you have not already, we would appreciate you subscribing to our newsletters and following our social media accounts. It is free and supports our journey.