INDIA-EU PARTNERSHIP IN CLEAN ENERGY: COLLABORATION FOR THE FUTURE

India-EU partnership in renewables should focus on long term goals. While the ITER project shows a novel path towards clean energy it is still a long time to go before the project makes gains on the ground.

- ABHIMANYU SINGH*

Energy diplomacy of the 20th century was dominated by fossil fuels. While fossil fuels continue to dominate the sphere of energy diplomacy, the focus on renewable energy sources has risen in importance in the 21st century. This is primarily because countries that import their sources of energy, now have to look towards energy security. Import-dependent countries can secure their supply with the help of renewable sources, which are readily available and infinite in supply.

India’s per capita electricity consumption is lower than one-fourth of the global average. But the fast-paced Indian economy’s energy demand has risen steadily at almost 6% in the past two decades. This makes India the 5th largest in terms of primary energy consumption. At this rate, India would have to look towards renewables to secure its energy demand and also reverse the effects of climate change. On the other hand, the European Union’s energy consumption has been significantly higher than that of India’s since the 1950s. However, the problem lies in the fact that energy was cheaper and more readily available in the 1950s than it is now. If the EU’s energy consumption continues at this pace, then it would be unfeasible to meet its demands in the future. Importance needs to be given to alternative sources of energy in both the markets. India and the EU’s partnership in this sphere will have to explore increasing their utilisation of presently available renewable energy technology and also the development of novel solutions for the future.