India, US for giving push to sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen

India and the US have agreed to promote sustainable aviation fuel, enhance the electrification of medium and heavy-duty vehicles, and increase the use of hydrogen in buses, tractors, and heavy equipment, according to a joint statement released after the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership dialogue. The statement noted that both nations "welcomed increased investment in each country's clean energy markets," following the ministerial meeting convened by US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri in Washington DC on Monday. The two countries recognised the importance of a just, orderly, and sustainable energy transition that prioritises access to reliable, affordable, and clean energy supplies. They acknowledged the significant role that energy trade plays in supporting the national priorities of both countries. The ministers highlighted the need to modernise the power distribution sector to ensure 24/7 reliable power supply to consumers and expressed support for India's smart metering deployment. They also discussed expanded efforts related to inverter-based resources, power market reforms, system inertia estimation, and cybersecurity. Additionally, the ministers commended Indian Railways for its efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 and welcomed collaboration to support India's first round-the-clock renewable energy procurement of over 1.5 GW, along with the development of an energy efficiency policy and action plan for all railway facilities. The statement confirmed that both nations agreed to advance sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which is produced from non-petroleum feedstocks and reduces emissions from air travel. SAF can be derived from renewable feedstocks such as food waste, woody biomass, and fats, and can be blended with jet fuel to lower carbon dioxide emissions. In this context, the sides welcomed new engagement on SAF, including an inaugural workshop focused on training in research and development, tax incentives, supply chain capacity building, market development, financing opportunities, fuel certification, coalition building, and commercial partnerships. The development of two joint reports on SAF and biofuels under the Biofuels Task Force was also welcomed. Furthermore, the two nations reiterated their commitment to enhancing energy efficiency and expressed support for collaboration on super-efficient appliances to improve efficiency standards and boost the deployment and manufacturing of high-efficiency cooling systems, along with promoting supply chain diversification. The ministers welcomed new collaboration on the electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and the use of green hydrogen in various applications. They also discussed carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) while noting progress on methane abatement in the oil and gas sector. The statement concluded with the ministers expressing satisfaction regarding the productive public-private sector dialogues aimed at informing enabling policies and regulatory frameworks, scaling and deploying clean energy technologies, and facilitating investment and commercial partnerships.

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