The India-European Union (EU) Trade & Technology Council (TTC) Working Group 2 (WG2) convened a two-day international workshop on “Green & Clean Energy Technologies” during October 10-11, 2023. The workshop was organized Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
India-EU-TTC is strategic coordination and engagement on trade and technology between India and Europe. It was formally announced on 25 April 2022 after the bilateral cooperation meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Within the framework of the TTC, three working groups have been set up.
The Working Group 2 on Green & Clean Energy Technologies was chaired by Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India from the Indian side and Marc Lemaître, Director-General, Directorate General for ‘Research and innovation’, European Commission, Brussels from the European side.
The first session ‘Waste to Green Hydrogen’ witnessed multiple presentations on possible ways of collaboration between India and EU on hydrogen storage, transportation, safety standards, and regulatory framework.
The second session ‘Marine Plastic litter and Wastewater’ discussed included marine plastic pollution mitigation and wastewater treatment strategies to combat the ocean plastic crisis and urban water challenges.
In third session’E-mobility: Circulatory Aspects of Batteries’, battery circulatory considerations and the potential of the EV & battery recycling sector were presented.
The fourth session ‘Standards’ witnessed intense discussions on the importance of harnessing data and scientific insights to form standards and initiate R&I and standards early in new technology research phases. A potential Code of Practice on Standardisation was also discussed.
Session stressed on the need for a harmonized method to address plastic litter. It proposed developing standards for specific technologies under each of the thematic topics.