<div>India will provide 24x7 power across the country by 2019 by creating cost effective infrastructure which is sustainable and inclusive of clean energy solutions, Power Minister Piyush Goyal has said.</div><div> </div><div>Goyal was speaking at the India-US Ministerial Energy Dialogue held at the US Department of Energy in Washington on September 21.</div><div> </div><div>The Indian delegation was led by Goyal while the US side was led by Dr Ernest Moniz, the US Secretary of Energy.</div><div> </div><div>"Government of India to provide 24x7 power across the country by 2019 by creating cost effective infrastructure which was sustainable and inclusive of clean energy solutions," the Minister said.</div><div> </div><div>Goyal emphasised that India is committed to pursue a green path to growth.</div><div> </div><div>He also elaborated on India's ambitious plans for deployment of 175 GW Renewable Power capacities by 2022, including 100 GW of Solar and 60 GW of Wind, which may require investment of around $150 billion in the next seven years.</div><div> </div><div>He also stressed on government's objective of construction of 100 smart cities which would include in its blueprint adequate provisions for power generation, usage of renewables and energy efficiency technologies, comprehensive waste management programme, usage of waste to energy technologies, etc.</div><div> </div><div>Goyal pointed out that India-US collaboration in the energy sector offer great potential, in view of India's enormous energy needs and the US' resources, capabilities and technology.</div><div> </div><div>He also welcomed US-based companies to invest in the Indian energy sector and invited them to also participate in India's unconventional hydrocarbons sector, especially in the field of exploration and exploitation of alternate energy sources such as shale oil, shale gas and gas hydrates.</div><div> </div><div>During the Dialogue, presentations were made on progress made under various joint research programme like Partnership to Advance Clean Energy - Research (PACE - R), including in the field of solar energy, energy efficient buildings and biofuels.</div><div> </div><div>Substantial headway has been made for the development of new technologies for distributed power generation through solar thermal route and development of new tools for improved building energy efficiency codes.</div><div> </div><div>It was also agreed to explore addition of smart grids and energy storage for grid application as the fourth stream under PACE - R.</div><div> </div><div><strong>Clean Energy</strong></div><div>Presentations were also made on various aspects of integration of clean energy sources into existing energy infrastructure in India, as well as mechanisms for promoting financing for clean energy and cleaner fossil energy sources.</div><div> </div><div>Avenues for advancing off-grid clean energy access was also discussed in depth during the Dialogue.</div><div> </div><div>According to the statement, bearing in mind the commitment of both countries to climate change, the focus of the meeting revolved on various dimensions of clean energy in order to ensure that people have access to adequate and affordable energy for better quality of life and sustainable livelihood.</div><div> </div><div>While capturing the activities of the Energy Dialogue in the last 10 years, the two Ministers recognised that this was an appropriate forum for India and the US to identify various aspects of technical assistance in energy sector as well as launch of pilot projects which can be scaled up at a later stage.</div><div> </div><div>The Indian delegation appreciated the activities of DOE, USAID and USTDA in various aspects of the energy sector in India, especially for technical assistance in research, data collection, development of various regulations as well as for improving energy efficient appliances.</div><div> </div><div>The need to develop a robust energy data management system to develop better simulation of the energy scenario in India in the future was also recognised.</div><div> </div><div>Prior to the Ministerial Dialogue, all the six Working Groups under the Energy Dialogue held extensive deliberations on September 16-18, 2015.</div><div> </div><div>It included Working Groups on a) Coal, b) New Technology and Renewable Energy, c) Petroleum and Natural Gas, d) Power and Energy Efficiency, e) Sustainable Development and f) Partnership to Advance Clean Energy - Research (PACE -R).</div><div> </div><div>The Working Group on Coal identified some areas of coal mining where both countries could collaborate including on Dry Coal Beneficiation; Planning of Large capacity opencast mines; Rehabilitation and reclamation of mined out areas; Pre combustion moisture removal of raw lignite and Mining of deep seated lignite deposits.</div><div> </div><div>It was recognised that India had proven reserves of shale gas and US had well developed expertize for Shale gas extraction. Collaboration in the area of fracking of shale gas, especially water less fracking in India were identified as areas of future cooperation under the Energy Dialogue.</div><div> </div><div>Discussions were also held in the working groups on financing of clean energy technology as well as on innovative financing for renewable energy microfinance and micro enterprises.</div><div> </div><div>Discussions were held on various aspects, including advantages and challenges of greening the grid, i.e., to integrate large scale renewable energy sources into the electricity grid.</div><div> </div><div>(PTI)</div>
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