Focus: GS II: International Relations
Why in the News?
The Ministerial meeting of the US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) was held between Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and US Energy Secretary in New Delhi.
Key Highlights of the Meeting:
Collaboration Across Clean Energy Work Streams:
- The meeting emphasized collaboration on various clean energy initiatives, including clean and renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Focus on Emerging Technologies:
- The countries discussed emerging technologies such as battery storage, gas hydrates, advanced biofuels, hydrogen and electrolyzed production, and agreed to work on their development and deployment.
Net Zero Village Development:
- India and the US agreed to work towards the development of a Net Zero Village in India to support the clean energy transition.
Energy Storage Task Force:
- A public-private Energy Storage Task Force was established to support the clean energy transition and promote the deployment of energy storage technologies.
Hydrogen Task Force:
- The two nations launched a public-private Hydrogen Task Force to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen technologies.
New and Emerging Renewable Energy Technologies Action Platform:
- The U.S.-India New and Emerging Renewable Energy Technologies Action Platform (RETAP) was launched to accelerate the development of key technologies for advancing common clean energy goals.
Biofuel Alliance:
- A sustainable biofuel alliance was formed among Brazil, India, and the U.S., aimed at intensifying the use of biofuels, especially in the transportation sector.
SAGE Initiative:
- The SAGE (Sustainable Architecture for the Grid Edge) initiative was launched to deepen engagement between Indian agencies and US national laboratories for research, analysis, and capacity building in low-carbon technologies and energy consumption analytics.
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS):
- CCUS was added as a work stream under the Emerging Fuels and Technology Pillar, highlighting its importance in the clean energy transition.
Collaboration with USAID:
- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will collaborate with various Indian agencies to support clean energy initiatives, including Indian Railways, NTPC Green, National Skills Development Corporation, Skills Council for Green Jobs, and the Forum of Regulators.
Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP)
The Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) is a collaborative initiative between the United States and India. It stems from the US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership, jointly announced at the Leaders’ Summit on Climate in 2021. The SCEP is designed to address energy security, innovation, and clean energy solutions for a sustainable future.
Key Objectives of SCEP:
- Advancing Energy Security and Innovation: The partnership focuses on enhancing energy security and fostering innovation in the energy sector.
- Electrification and Decarbonization: There is a strong emphasis on promoting electrification and decarbonization in various processes and end uses.
- Scaling up Clean Energy Technologies: The SCEP seeks to accelerate the adoption and scaling up of emerging clean energy technologies.
- Solutions for Hard-to-Decarbonize Sectors: Efforts are made to find effective solutions for sectors that present challenges in decarbonization.
- Deployment of Technical Solutions: The partnership aims to deploy technical solutions that promote cleaner and more sustainable energy practices.
Transition from Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP):
- The SCEP was originally launched as the Strategic Energy Partnership in 2018.
- It replaced the U.S.-India Energy Dialogue, which was the previous intergovernmental platform for energy cooperation between the two nations.
- The transition to the SCEP represents an upgraded and strategic approach to cooperation, with a stronger focus on clean energy and addressing climate challenges.
