India, US to jointly develop new tech in energy sector

India and the US have agreed on joint development of new technologies in the field of energy. At a meeting between the US Energy Secretary, Mr Steven Chu, and the Minister of Power, Mr Sushilkumar Shinde, here on Friday, it was agreed that the two sides would work towards the creation of a joint mechanism to promote research and the development of clean and efficient technologies. According to a statement, both sides agreed that joint development of new technologies in the field of energy would be of mutual interest. Among the areas identified for cooperation were clean coal technologies, smart grids, and energy efficiency. They also discussed ways to accelerate the adoption of clean and efficient coal energy technology in India, in view of the large scale growth in infrastructure in India over the next few decades. The two sides also discussed the possibilities that could be exploited through the availability of cheap storage solutions such as batteries and pump hydro, the statement said. These could enable decentralised stand-alone grids, based on local resources. Technologies for energy from municipal waste were also identified as an area for mutual benefit.