US, India To Launch Hydrogen Task Force Under Strategic Energy Partnership

India and the United States will launch a Hydrogen Task Force under the Strategic Energy Partnership between the two countries soon, announced US Deputy Secretary of Energy, David M Turk.

He made the announcement at the inaugural edition of the Hydrogen Roundtable titled "Hydrogen Economy: New Delhi Dialogue - 2021".

"We are working together with partners in India to launch a US-India Hydrogen Task Force under the US-India Strategic Energy Partnership", said Turk.

"The United States is committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We will focus on production, transportation, industrial use, and hydrogen as an energy storage medium, as well as the financial structures that will need to be present to ensure hydrogen's success," added Turk.

He said that hydrogen will be especially valuable for large-scale and long-duration energy storage to "meet our goal of a completely carbon-free grid by 2035".

Turk said that only through joint efforts and concrete, measurable actions, on hydrogen and other emerging technologies, "we will be able to achieve deep decarbonization and meet critical climate and clean energy goals".

The UAE has also expressed keenness to work with India public and private sectors to help develop the hydrogen market and support New Delhi's growing demand for energy and need for cleaner fuels.

At the roundtable, Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE said hydrogen represents an opportunity to further expand India and UAE energy partnership.

"We are identifying viable international market opportunities and developing a roadmap to create a Hydrogen ecosystem to serve both the UAE and the global market," he added.

Speaking during the Roundtable, Australian Energy Minister Angus Taylor said that Australia shares India's interest in building a hydrogen economy. He added that Canberra is committed to working with international partners to advance the use of hydrogen as an alternative energy source globally and as an emissions-reduction pathway.

"We want to be the world's hydrogen partner of choice - a world leader in clean hydrogen technologies. Australia's goal is to drive down the cost of clean hydrogen to under USD 2 per kilogram and make hydrogen competitive with alternative energy sources in large-scale deployment, he added.

Meanwhile, Denmark Climate Minister Dan Jorgensen said that New Delhi and Copenhagen have entered into a far-reaching green strategic partnership that will enable the two countries to cooperate in promoting sustainable solutions.