NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India has taken great strides in green growth, energy transition and renewable segments and asserted that the country is moving ahead strongly on its climate commitments.
Addressing the G20 Energy Ministers meeting in Goa digitally, the Prime Minister said that despite being the most populated nation and the fastest-growing large economy in the world "India is strongly moving towards its climate commitments."
Enlisting several green initiatives taken by India, PM Modi said that India has achieved its non-fossil installed electric capacity target nine years in advance and set a higher target for itself. He mentioned that the nation plans to achieve 50 per cent non-fossil installed capacity by 2030.
"India is also among the global leaders in solar and wind power," the Prime Minister said, stating that the level and scale of the Pavagada Solar Park and Modhera Solar Village - which was showcased before the Working Group delegates – is an example of India’s commitment to clean energy initiatives.
"Our effort is to work for inclusive, resilient, equitable and sustainable energy for all," the PM said, citing the task taken up by the Indian government to provide piped cooking gas to people which has the potential to cover more than 90 per cent of the population in a few years.
India has already connected more than 190 million families with LPG while also recording the historic milestone of connecting every village with electricity, the PM said adding that even though every nation has a different reality and pathway for energy transition, he firmly believes that the goals of every country are the same.
He emphasized finding ways to bridge technology gaps, promote energy security and work on diversifying supply chains. The Prime Minister also suggested strengthening collaboration on the 'fuels for the future' and remarked that the 'High-level Principles on Hydrogen' are a step in the right direction.
He further added that transnational grid interconnections can enhance energy security and India is promoting this mutually beneficial cooperation with its neighbors.
"Realizing the vision of inter-connected green grids can be transforming. It will enable all of us to meet our climate goals, stimulate green investment, and create millions of green jobs," the Prime Minister said. He extended an invitation to all participating nations to join the Green Grids Initiative – 'One Sun, One World, One Grid' of the International Solar Alliance.
To decarbonize India, the PM said that the country is working on "Mission mode on Green Hydrogen" as an alternative and aims to transform India into a Global Hub for the production, use and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.
The PM also highlighted the nationwide movement of launching a scheme in 2015 for the use of LED lights which turned out to be the largest LED distribution program in the world saving us more than 45 billion units of energy per year.
He also touched upon starting the largest agricultural pump solarization initiative in the world and India’s domestic electric vehicle market projection of 10 million annual sales by 2030. He highlighted commencing the rollout of 20 per cent Ethanol Blended Petrol this year which aims to cover the entire country by 2025.