Collaboration with Indian businesses

PASSAGE TO INDIA

IN AUGUST John Grimes and Scott Hamilton visited India at the request of Dr Anil K Garg, President of the World Renewable Energy Congress 2022.

The 8-day trip to Delhi and Chennai took in site visits, roundtables, presentations at three conference and exhibitions, and back-to-back meetings with government and business leaders in India’s burgeoning renewables sector. The trip was supported and facilitated by the Australian High Commission and Austrade.

“The purpose of the trip was to build strategic relationships to help diversify smart energy and renewable hydrogen supply chains,” John Grimes said.

“We had the opportunity to identify key trade and investment opportunities in all facets of renewables. We returned very pleased about India’s willingness to regard Australia as a key partner in decarbonisation.

“We are now building on those connections and planning a major delegation to India in 2023,” he said

The ‘sleeves rolled up’ itinerary included meetings with CESL and ReNew, SunSource, Tata, Reliance Industries, Larsen & Toubro, Motherson and Jakson. Some other notable meetings included Evenergi with its modelling software for electric bus depots and fleets, and ATTERO with its aspirations for building a battery recycling and manufacturing facility in Australia.

“We forged some strategic battery partnerships in terms of investment and supply agreements, battery recycling with ATTERO and the likelihood of interest spreading to Indonesia,” John said.

Look out for some of these names from India at next year’s Smart Energy Conference and Exhibition in Sydney. Solar modules: “We went to India wondering if we could consider the country as a supply partner for solar components and in other strategic areas of collaboration. I think the answer is a definite yes, given India is ramping up solar module manufacturing.”

IMAGE: SCOTT HAMILTON

No trip to India – business or leisure – is complete without a visit to the majestic Taj Mahal in Agra and luckily that tour was arranged during the one free afternoon

Among the module makers are multi-billion dollar entities including Reliance, Avaada, ReNew and Tata, building between 3GW to 5GW.

“Not only are they producing wafers, cells and solar ingots but they are also considering innovations around the efficiency of solar cells and investing in battery manufacturing in Australia given the trajectory to become the largest lithium-ion battery market in the world.”

Another fun fact, EVs: More than half of all the three wheelers sold in India are electric vehicles which are in high demand by small businesses – micro agricultural and commercial outfits – as utility vehicles.

John likens this to a ‘bottom up’ movement in that it’s not the likes of Tesla leading the charge in the EV market. “That got me wondering if we could attract that capacity into our states, electric vehicles present a huge opportunity, we just need to develop a plan.”

John Grimes presenting at the ‘Towards Electric Bus Reform in India’ workshop in New Delhi, India

“We forged a series of agreements that strengthen trade ties between India and Australia and will accelerate the transition to renewable energy.” JOHN GRIMES

IMAGE: SCOTT HAMILTON

Yet one more highlight was John’s time in the limelight when he was “honoured and humbled” to receive the 2022 Global Excellence Award in Renewable Energy presented by Indian government cabinet ministers during a ceremony steeped in tradition and colour

Hydrogen: Consistent with Prime Minister Modi’s ‘One Sun One Plant One Grid’, India aspires to being a renewable hydrogen exporter and its government will soon finalise its renewable hydrogen plan.

There are massive opportunities for collaboration in renewable hydrogen, there’s a long line of Indian companies looking for the Smart Energy Council to support their entry into the Australian market and our peak production seasons complement each other which will be of mutual benefit, John explained.

Austrade too plays a critical role as an overseas pipeline builder and will continue to forge partnerships that will facilitate industry contacts and collaborations.

All systems go!

Plans are now underway for an industry function at the Indian High Commission in Canberra and further down the track a broader trade visit to India among interested parties, with John and Scott commenting on the prospect of organising a delegation of up to 20 smart energy companies to India next year with the timing to be negotiated with the Australian government.

Australian businesses looking to find out more about the trade visit to India should contact Teni Thomas, teni@smartenergy.org.au

The Blue Pacific

A Modi initiative of 2019 involves the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure involving 32 countries, the World Bank and meteorological organisation, with the focus on Pacific islands. This initiative is highly significant in the lead-up to COP29 in 2024 which Australia aspires to host.

Likewise the International Solar Alliance is scoping industry engagement in the Pacific and plans to engage the Smart Energy Council as the industry collaboration partner for its solar engagement in the region. The ISA also aims to establish a Pacific Smart Energy Council.