Legislation introduced to boost India-US clean energy and climate cooperation

WASHINGTON

: A top Democratic senator on Wednesday introduced a legislation in

the US Senate

to establish a forum for bilateral cooperation with India on clean energy technologies and

energy transmission

.



Introduced by Senator Robert Menendez, a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Prioritizing Clean Energy and Climate Cooperation with India Act establishes the United States-India Clean Energy and Power Transmission Partnership (CEPTP) as the main forum for cooperation between the two nations on clean energy technologies and energy transmission.

The activities under the CEPTP include promoting joint research and development on clean energy technologies, encouraging US private investment in the Indian clean energy market and supporting initiatives to develop new and

renewable energy

generation capacity in India.

The legislation also promotes US-India cooperation on climate resilience and risk reduction, a statement said.

“Given the shared threat of climate change and India's growing need for electricity, there is a strong case to be made for strengthening the US-India clean energy partnership,” said Menendez.

“In that vein, I am introducing this legislation having witnessed firsthand the positive results that come when our nations work as a team to tackle common challenges,” he said.

Menendez was part of a congressional delegation to India in the fall of 2019, during which he engaged with India's minister of New and Renewable Energy and Indian business leaders to discuss how the US and India can address the threat of climate change and deepen cooperation on clean energy production.

“By establishing the US-India Clean Energy and Power Transmission Partnership, we are laying the groundwork for successful partnerships between not only the US and Indian governments, but also our universities and private sectors. I am proud to lead this effort to further strengthen our relationship with India,” Menendez said.

The legislation also seeks to promotes lawful sharing of intellectual property between US and Indian private sector entities for renewable energy technology, air conditioning technology, and refrigeration systems technology.