India and IRENA sign renewables agreement

India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has signed a strategic partnership agreement with IRENA, indicating that the two organisations' collaboration in the field of renewable energy will be strengthened. During the 12th IRENA Assembly, Mr. Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), and IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera signed the agreement.

India installed 13 GW of renewables in 2021 and has grown its capacity by over 53 GW in the last five years, positioning it as one of the fastest growing renewable energy adopters in the world. With massive renewable energy potential, India has an aim to become a major producer of green hydrogen to support the decarbonisation of its industrial economy. According to IRENA, hydrogen will account for around 12% of total energy supply in a 1.5°C world by 2050.

"India's commitment for the cause of renewables is very well known and our record speaks for itself," said Secretary Mr. Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi. He added, "We hope to make full use of the strategic partnership agreement and draw fully upon the expertise of IRENA in the area of renewable energy."

"India is a renewable energy powerhouse and a country whose energy transition actions speak louder than their words," said Francesco La Camera IRENA Director-General. "As a key global actor in the shift to renewables and a founding member of IRENA, India has played a major role in international energy co-operation. This partnership represents a new chapter in an already strong relationship as the country looks to advance its transition and capitalise on emerging new technologies."

IRENA will facilitate India's knowledge sharing on scaling up renewable energy and clean energy technologies, as well as help India's efforts to advance cost-effective decarbonisation through the development of domestic green hydrogen, as part of the partnership. The two will collaborate closely to analyse the potential role of green hydrogen as a enabler of the transition and a new source of national energy exports in India. India has begun the process of developing and launching a National Green Hydrogen Mission in order to enable cost competitive green hydrogen generation, storage, distribution, and application technologies.

IRENA will also facilitate long-term national energy planned towards the achievement of ambitious long-term developmental targets in the sectors of housing, rural electrification, renewable energy, assured electricity supply, and reduction in oil import dependence, among others.