India and Saudi Arabia forge collaboration on green hydrogen and electrical interconnections 

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In a significant move toward bolstering their energy cooperation, India and Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of a green hydrogen supply chain and electrical interconnections, Mint reported.

The MoU was signed on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the MENA Climate Week 2023, marking another milestone in the partnership between the two nations.

According to reports, the agreement aims to establish a comprehensive framework for cooperation encompassing various aspects of the energy sector. The focus areas include electrical interconnection, exchange of electricity during peak demand and emergencies, co-development of projects, co-production of green and clean hydrogen, and the creation of secure, reliable, and resilient supply chains for materials used in green and clean hydrogen production and renewable energy.

With a larger objective of integrating national power networks with other nations, lessening the need for costly renewable energy storage technologies, and improving grid dependability, India is interested in developing electrical connections with Saudi Arabia. This action is crucial as India moves on with the OSOWOG plan, which aims to link nations through a global power grid.

Mint reported that R. K. Singh, India’s Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy, emphasised India’s dedication to the energy transition during the MENA Climate Week 2023. He mentioned that India, with almost 17 percent of the world’s population and as the world’s fifth-largest economy, was actively taking substantial measures to decrease the emission intensity of its GDP by 45 percent by 2030 and to attain the Net Zero goal by 2070.

Singh also extended an invitation to MENA countries to join the recently launched Global Biofuels Alliance, fostering international cooperation in sustainable bio fuels. This alliance, launched during the G20 Summit in New Delhi, includes 19 countries and 12 international organisations, with India, Brazil, and the U.S. as founding members.

The MENA Climate Week serves as a platform for discussing climate solutions and energy sustainability ahead of COP28 and is hosted by the government of Saudi Arabia. Singh emphasised the significance of global collaboration in shaping the energy transition narrative and encouraged sustainable behaviours and choices to achieve this transition.

The high-level GST (Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement) regional dialogue at the MENA Climate Week further provides an opportunity to discuss challenges, solutions, and opportunities for enhancing climate action and support within the MENA context and globally. The GST is essential for periodically assessing the progress toward the Paris Agreement’s goals and long-term objectives, with its first session held in Glasgow in 2021 and concluding at the climate change conference in Dubai, UAE.

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