Revamped U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) launched

Revamped U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) launched

Part of: Prelims and GS – II – International Relations  and GS III – Environment 

Context Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas co-chaired a virtual Ministerial meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Energy to launch the revamped U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP). 

• The SCEP was launched in accordance with the U.S.-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership announced by the Indian Prime Minister and USA’s President at the Leaders’ Summit on Climate held in April 2021.

Key takeaways from the meeting 

• The revitalized SCEP emphasises on electrification and decarbonization of processes and end uses, scaling up and accelerating deployment of emerging clean energy technologies, and finding solutions for hard-to-decarbonize sectors.
• Under the SCEP, both countries agreed to collaborate across five pillars — Power and Energy Efficiency; Renewable Energy; Responsible Oil and Gas; Sustainable Growth; and Emerging Fuels.
  • Emerging fuels were newly added to the list of areas of cooperation
• Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue under the Agenda 2030 Partnership will also be launched on September 13 that builds upon the U.S. and India’s bilateral energy dialogue that accelerated energy security and innovation.
• The two countries agreed to continue cutting edge research and development through the longstanding U.S.-India Partnership to Advance Clean Energy-Research (PACE-R), prioritizing research on emerging clean energy technologies.
• They will also continue to advance innovation in civil nuclear power as a net-zero solution through different collaborative programmes, including the Civil Nuclear Energy Working Group.
• The private sector and other stakeholders across the technical areas shall be engaged to help deploy clean technologies. 
• India-U.S. Task Force on Biofuels was also announced to build cooperation in the biofuels sector.
• The electric grid in India shall be strengthened to support large-scale integration of renewables.
• Gas Task Force shall be rechristened to India-U.S. Low Emissions Gas Task Force, which would continue to forge collaboration between the U.S. and Indian companies on innovative projects to support India’s vision of a gas-based economy.

What are Emerging Fuels?

• Emerging fuels are alternative fuels that are under development or already in use.  
• Benefits: These fuels can increase energy security, reduce emissions, improve vehicle performance, and stimulate the economy.  
• Examples include Biobutanol (Butyl Alcohol), Biofuels, Methanol, etc.