India, Denmark can embark on green hydrogen future together, says Lars Aagaard

New Delhi: Danish minister for energy, climate and utilities Lars Aagaard on Tuesday said Denmark can learn from India's ability to bring down renewables tariff especially solar and both nations can embark on the green hydrogen future together.

India has considerably brought down tariff of renewable energy especially solar through e-reverse auction of projects. India's solar and wind power tariffs had touched all-time low levels of Rs 1.99 per unit and Rs 2.43 per unit under these auctions.

"We can learn from your development on solar energy. We can learn from your ability to bring down cost and we can embark on the (green) hydrogen future together," Aagaard said, addressing the special plenary session on energy at 'Indian and Denmark: Partners for Green and Sustainable Progress Conference' organised by CII.

He said that he had visited India as a young man 35 years ago and since then India's population has grown by more than 400 million.

He lauded India's management's efforts to provide electricity to more than 700 million people during the last 35 years.

"It is amazing and looking ahead India will need much more electricity to fuel the economy... Actually you (India) are going to install electricity capacity which equals the existing capacity of Europe today," he said.

On India's 500GW of non-fossil energy target by 2030, he said "this (500GW target) shows that India has a size. But I also think that you also have the skills that the world needs.

"Denmark is committed to working with India at all levels to make the future resilient and green," he added.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen said, "We recognise India's role in achieving global roles in green and sustainable goals and we support it fully." The Danish companies hold an expertise in accelerating green transitions and have a long experience in lowering energy consumption and emissions, he added.

Now Denmark looks forward to working together and signing of commercial MOUs and agreements between the two governments, he added.

As many as seven memorandum of understanding (MoU) were inked during this conference between Danish and Indian firms.

As part of these MoUs, ISS and Tata Power have collaborated to convert all of ISS India's India-based clients' portfolios to green energy and to evaluate opportunities to extend Tata Power's renewable energy offerings to these portfolios.

Moreover, India's SAEL Industries selected Danish biomass boiler company Burmeister & Wain Energy as technology provider for the supply of six Biomass Waste to energy boilers.

Stiesdal and L&T have inked an MoU for increasing the collaboration within floating offshore wind technology in India and globally, as well as exploring the possibility for the use of Danish solutions and technologies in a broader perspective throughout the business.

Hempel and L&T have inked an MoU to establish cooperation to jointly enter new business segments, as well as jointly participate in projects, such as providing solid sustainability and green energy solutions for the market.

Meanwhile, two academic institutions Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have entered into a strategic partnership within water and energy that will build a bridge between researchers and students in both countries as well as pave the way for collaboration with industry and authorities.

Under the "Green Strategic Partnership", Topsoe A/S and HPCL Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL) are exploring to collaborate and extend their long standing relationship in CleanTech.

With this cooperation both companies hope to propel India's growth in Green Hydrogen and its derivatives outlined in its National Green Hydrogen Mission as well as to contribute to India's Net Zero goal by 2070.