European Commissioner for Energy to visit India from September 7-8

In her first visit to India, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson will be in the country from September 7-8 to explore means to boost two-way energy cooperation.

The European Union said Simson's visit to Delhi signals the grouping's strong engagement with India in the area of energy.

The 27-nation EU and India have robust cooperation in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.

Simson said as the world faces an energy crisis and climate change challenge, India, with its vast renewable resources, has a strategic role to play in the clean energy transition.

The EU and India established a 'Clean Energy and Climate Partnership' in 2016 and have been working closely together on clean energy transition, speeding up the deployment of renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency, collaborating on smart grid and storage technology and modernising the electricity market.

Commissioner Simson will hold bilateral meetings with relevant Indian ministers, officials of the International Solar Alliance and other key stakeholders.

The EU said the discussions will focus on stepping up EU-India cooperation for a "greener" energy mix in the area of green hydrogen, energy efficiency, renewable energy, offshore wind, grid integration, smart grids, storage, power market design and sustainable financing among others.

"I am looking forward to my visit, taking place shortly after the G20 energy transition ministers' meeting in Indonesia," Simson said.

"We are facing a global energy crisis, as well as the enormous challenge of climate change.

''The clean energy transition provides a key to addressing both, and with its vast renewable resources, India has a strategic role to play," she said.

During her visit, Simson along with Union Power Minister RK Singh will inaugurate the first EU-India Green Hydrogen Forum on September 8.

The forum will focus on exchanging best practices and policies on the role of hydrogen in energy systems, discussing the state of play of existing and upcoming hydrogen projects in the EU and India.