India, US initiate pact for clean energy research ties

India and the US have initiated the agreement for co-operation on joint clean energy research and development centre, which would facilitate research on a wide range of green power technologies.

The agreement, MoU for which was signed during the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to Washington last November, is considered a significant step towards strengthening cooperation between the two countries in an area of increasing national and in ternational priority.

India’s top diplomat in the US, Ms Meera Shankar, and the US Deputy Secretary of Energy, Daniel Poneman, initiated the agreement for cooperation on joint clean energy research and development centre, an official release said.

“The Centre will facilitate joint research and development by teams of scientists and engineers from the US and India on clean energy and related joint activities, needed to deploy clean energy technologies rapidly with the greatest impact,” it said.

Areas of cooperation would include energy efficiency of buildings, smart grids, unconventional natural gas, second-generation bio-fuels, clean coal technologies and solar energy.

“Both Governments would provide funding for the activities to help ensure long-term and stable financial support to achieve the objectives of the Centre. Private industry and academia in both the countries are also expected to provide additional resource s,” the statement said.