India US talks large-scale grid integration of renewable energy through energy storage

The two countries highlighted the importance of modernising the power distribution sector to supply 24/7 reliable power to consumers at U.S., India ‘The Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) Ministerial’ meet in Washington D.C.

India and the United States held a meeting recently in Washington D.C where both countries discussed major renewable energy prospects. The U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri has stressed the importance of supporting large-scale grid integration of renewable energy while enabling flexible and reliable grid operations through energy storage. Both the ministers welcomed the formal launch of the public-private Energy Storage Task Force to address policy and regulatory frameworks, safety, manufacturing and supply chains, and innovative business models; focused RETAP efforts on long-duration energy storage and alternative chemistries to Li-ion technologies; efforts on the technical and economic feasibility of various storage technologies available for a renewable energy battery energy storage system (BESS) in the state of Assam; and support for BESS bids and pilots in Haryana.

The two sides also recognised pumped storage as a long-term energy storage option. The two countries highlighted the importance of modernising the power distribution sector to supply 24/7 reliable power to consumers, welcomed support for India’s smart metering deployment, as well as expanded efforts on inverter-based resources, power market reforms, system inertia estimation, and cybersecurity. Both the ministers met in washington D.C for The Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) Ministerial meet that was convened by U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri in Washington D.C. 

The two sides reviewed the initiatives undertaken across the technical pillars under the SCEP, including Power & Energy Efficiency, Responsible Oil & Gas, Renewable Energy, Emerging Fuels & Technologies, and Sustainable Growth. The ministers welcomed the progress made under the partnership to drive clean energy innovation, strengthen energy security, and accelerate clean energy transitions, including through more focused efforts on clean energy manufacturing and building resilient, responsible, stable, secure and diversified supply chains.

While recognising the need to work towards a just, orderly and sustainable energy transition, which prioritises access to reliable, affordable, and clean energy supplies, the sides welcomed the important role that energy trade plays in supporting the national priorities of both countries.

The ministers recognised the progress the two countries have made to accelerate the development and deployment of emerging clean energy technologies, advancing renewable energy deployment and reliable grid integration, promoting energy efficiency, and advancing decarbonisation of high-emitting sectors like industry, buildings, and transport and welcomed the formal launch of the Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform (RETAP) in August 2023, aimed at developing actionable roadmaps for hydrogen, long-duration energy storage, offshore wind, and geothermal, through R&D, pilots and demonstration, and incubation-investment-industry networks. They also expressed satisfaction at the progress being made by both sides under the RETAP mechanism.

The two countries welcomed collaboration on the new National Centre for Hydrogen Safety in India and partnership on the 2nd International Conference on Green Hydrogen held in September 2024. The ministers highlighted expanded bilateral expert exchanges on clean hydrogen R&D, cost reduction efforts, and implementation of hydrogen hubs in both countries through RETAP, the public-private Hydrogen Task Force. The ministers also welcomed work on the use of green hydrogen in buses, tractors and heavy equipment.

The ministers also commended the Indian Railways (IR) efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 and welcomed collaboration to support India’s first round-the-clock renewable energy procurement of over 1.5 GW and development of an energy efficiency policy and action plan for all railway facilities.

The two countries agreed to give an impetus to sustainable aviation fuel. In this context, the sides welcomed new engagement on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) with an inaugural SAF workshop to support training on R&D, tax incentives, supply chain capacity building, market development, financing opportunities, fuel certification, regional and international coalition building, and facilitating commercial partnerships. The ministers also welcomed the development of two joint reports on SAF and biofuels under the Biofuels Task Force and reiterated their commitment to enhancing energy efficiency and welcomed collaboration on super-efficient appliances to improve efficiency standards, boost the deployment and manufacturing of high-efficiency affordable cooling systems and promote supply chain diversification.

The ministers welcomed new collaboration on electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles including through a series of related workshops and structured expert exchanges on transport electrification for e-freight, including electric buses. They applauded the implementation of the PM eBus Sewa scheme for deploying 10,000 e-buses across India. It was highlighted progress under the workstream on carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), including an August 2024 workshop in Delhi with a broad set of stakeholders that identified concrete areas for engagement on geologic carbon storage, including increased cooperation on technical and legal/regulatory aspects as India develops its CCUS Mission. The sides also noted the effort for the pursuit of capacity building in energy modelling and life cycle emission tools.

In addition, the ministers noted progress under a workstream on methane abatement in the oil and gas sector, through technical cooperation with the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) and commended the work on advanced research and development of new smart grid and energy storage technologies under the recently concluded US-India Collaborative for Smart Distribution System with Storage (UI-ASSIST) program under the U.S.-India Partnership to Advance Clean Energy-Research (PACE-R).

The ministers expressed satisfaction with the range of productive public-private sector dialogues that inform enabling policy and regulatory frameworks; help scale, deploy, and reduce costs of clean energy technologies; and facilitate investment and commercial partnerships. They welcomed increased investment in each country’s clean energy markets, including a recent investment by Indian company Waaree in a 3GW state-of-the-art solar module manufacturing facility in Texas. The ministers also noted the signing of three new memoranda of understanding between commercial partners on important areas of emissions measurement and methane abatement, including in City Gas Distribution (CGD). It was recognised that energy transitions require concerted action and implementation at the national and local levels to ensure viable, sustainable clean energy efforts and a just energy transition. To that end, the ministers welcomed capacity building and dissemination of best practices, across all levels of government.

It was praised the breadth and depth of the U.S.-India partnership to advance progress toward the common clean energy goals and addressed unprecedented climate challenges with a note that by leveraging the SCEP partnerships, the U.S. and India can spur innovation and help build more secure, resilient, and diverse clean energy supply chains.