India-Japan energy dialogue commits to 5 MW solar plant in Rajasthan

The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to annual ministerial-level dialogues and agreed to strengthen cooperation in energy security, conservation, renewable energy, electricity, coal, and petroleum/natural gas sectors.

Who it concerns: The agreement involves the Government of India (Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Coal, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Petroleum Conservation Research Association, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation) and the Government of Japan (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Energy Conservation Centre of Japan, Institute of Energy Economics Japan). It affects the energy, industrial (steel, cement, power, textile), and technology sectors in both countries.

What was agreed

• Reaffirmation of annual ministerial-level India-Japan Energy Dialogues.
• Commitment to strengthen consumer-producer dialogue on LNG and deepen cooperation in energy conservation and renewable energy.
• Continuation of training and capacity building for State-Designated Agencies (SDAs), SMEs, and energy auditors.
• Implementation of a 5 MW solar Photovoltaic plant in Neemrana Industrial Park, Rajasthan, with a further 6 MW demonstration project to be initiated by NEDO.
• Study of possibilities for Japan's contribution to India's National Solar Mission target of 22GW by 2022.
• Completion of JCOAL's advisory project for renovating coal-fired power plants at three sites, with four more sites to be completed before the end of the fiscal year.
• Completion of NEDO's commercial-scale demonstration project for coal washing at Angul, Odisha by early 2013.
• Launch of a joint study on 'Pricing of LNG in the Asia Pacific market.'
• Exploration of collaboration in upstream petroleum and natural gas exploration and production in India and third countries.

Also in the document

• India's National Solar Mission target of generating 22GW of solar energy by 2022 is explicitly welcomed, with Japan studying its potential contribution.
• A specific 5 MW solar photovoltaic plant has been allotted for development in Rajasthan, with a further 6 MW demonstration project planned.
• Japan is identified as the world's largest consumer of LNG, and India as a country with anticipated large increases in consumption, prompting a joint study on LNG pricing in the Asia-Pacific market.
• The text mentions a Bilateral Offset Credit Mechanism (BOCM) proposed by METI, for which India sought further details on design and implementation.