The fourth and final Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) meeting, held under India's G20 Presidency, came to a successful conclusion in Goa. The two-day meeting witnessed proactive engagement from over 115 delegates representing G20 member countries and nine invitee countries.
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The meeting was chaired by Shri Pankaj Agrawal, who serves as the ETWG Chair and Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India along with Shri Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, and Shri Amrit Lal Meena, Secretary, Ministry of Coal that also participated in the deliberations.
There are six priority areas outlined under India’s G20 Presidency. These priority areas reflect India’s focus on various aspects of energy transition and building global cooperation toward sustainable and clean energy development. The six priority areas are:
- Energy transitions through addressing technology gaps;
- Low-cost financing for energy transitions;
- Energy security and diversified supply chains;
- Energy efficiency, industrial low carbon transitions, and responsible consumption;
- Fuels for Future (3F); and
- Universal access to clean energy and just, affordable, and inclusive energy transition pathways.
The discussions in the 4th ETWG meeting in Goa on July 19-20, 2023, built on the first three meetings in Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, and Mumbai respectively, to identify and promote best practices, policies, and innovative approaches that support a just and inclusive energy transition.
According to a statement, the discussions centered around critical challenges related to climate change, sustainability, energy security, equitable energy access, and financing, in the context of global energy transitions.
The meeting emphasized the urgent need for feasible, collaborative, and accountable policy actions to accelerate global energy transitions while ensuring universal energy access and just, affordable, and inclusive energy transitions in line with achieving the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Our decision and collaborative endeavors at this juncture will drive the energy panorama for future times, said Union Power Secretary Shri Pankaj Agarwal at a press conference on the meeting outcomes.
The Secretary informed that there has been significant convergence on hydrogen-related issues and that the working group has taken note of the Green Hydrogen Innovation Centre proposed by India and the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) which is proposed to be launched by India.
There has been a substantive meeting of minds on low-cost financing for the energy transition. The Working Group has taken note of the voluntary action plan proposed by India for doubling of pace of energy efficiency by the year 2030, Secretary Shri Pankaj Agarwal said.
The Power Secretary said that significant progress was made in the working group meeting, as members arrived at a consensus on many incremental proposals put forth by the Indian Presidency. Efforts are ongoing to “negotiate further” on remaining points, he added.
Affordable access to power and clean energy solutions was identified as a growing necessity, along with safeguarding the supply chains of critical materials to foster a more sustainable clean energy transition.
Optimism for a “balanced consensus”
The outcome of the working group meeting will be presented to the Energy Ministers for declaration during the Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting scheduled for July 22, 2023.
The Secretary expressed optimism about reaching a balanced consensus among all G20 members to support and collaborate in accelerating Energy Transition.
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India, Shri Ajay Tewari said that 28 countries are participating in the discussion.
There is already been consensus on various issues. All paragraphs on energy efficiency have been agreed upon, and a Voluntary Action Plan on doubling the pace of energy efficiency by 2030 has been agreed upon.
The importance of developing and widely adopting both existing and emerging clean technologies was underscored, including Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS), Green and Low Carbon hydrogen and its derivatives, biofuels, and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), among others. Participants recognized that technology cooperation and collaborative investment are vital to advance these initiatives successfully. We hope to arrive at something positive on green hydrogen consensus as well, said Additional Secretary Shri Ajay Tewari.
The Indian presidency-led Energy Transitions Working Group will feature the release of 13 global studies focusing on advancing energy transitions, providing valuable insights and guidance for collective efforts in achieving transition goals.
Out of these, eight studies have already been released and the remaining five will be released during the coming days. The studies included topics such as:
- low-cost finance for energy transition, renewable energy supply chain;
- vulnerability of the supply chain of oil and gas energy sources;
- role of transnational grid interconnections;
- doubling the pace of energy efficiency;
- the importance of biofuels in the energy mix;
- global best practices for just transition in the coal sector; and
- the critical role of small modular reactors in the energy transition.
The working group successfully organized 15 side events during the meeting, attracting more than 2 000 participants.
