India & Israel to build, leverage tech for alternate energy

"Potential synergy between India and Israel companies with characteristics of each side can be a winning combination in global context", said Mr Daniel Zohar Zonshine, Consul General of Israel at the CII - interactive session on 'renewable energy technologies: Opportunities for collaboration with Israel' held in Mumbai. The Department of Science Government of India with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the first time established a non profit autonomous society – Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA) to manage bilateral industrial R&D programmes. The current session aimed in providing a platform for the Indian and Israel companies to cooperate and collaborate to build newer technologies under India-Israel Industrial R&D Programme.

"With deepening energy crisis and oil prices touching $100 a barrel, time has come to look at and develop alternate energy resources which are efficient and cost effective", stressed Mr Daniel Zohar Zonshine. Speaking on the importance of R&D in Israel, the Consul General mentioned that Israel is currently putting 4.7% of its GDP in R&D. "We have ideas and technologies and are now looking for cooperation to make renewable energy technologies economical", emphasized Mr Zonshine. He stressed on the role of government and inter government organizations to raise awareness and create tools for producing renewable energy at mass levels and at lower costs.

Calling the Session as an important opportunity for collaboration, the Consul General of Israel called upon the business entrepreneurs in India to visit Israel for R&D projects to accelerate the implementation and commercial utilization of the resulted products.

Speaking at the CII Session was Mr Raul Goldemann, Director – Asia & Pacific International Cooperation Programme, MATIMOP who highlighted on the need to build cooperation between the two countries. He said that India was looked as a strategic partner by Israel and that Israel government was committed to render all support to build greater ties for collaboration between the India and Israel. "We have ideas and technology but fewer resources. We are looking to promote joint R&D projects to help build renewable energy technologies effectively", said Mr Goldemann.

Mr Chetan Singh Solanki, Asst Professor, Dept of Energy Science and Engineering, IIT, Mumbai at the CII Session talked about solar photovoltaic research being conducted at IIT, Mumbai. "Solar PV industry is growing very fast globally and we will soon see cost reduction. But in India solar PV research needs to be accelerated and the Indian PV market is yet to develop opportunities for new entrants", put forth Mr Solanki. He was emphatic that though currently the technology was expensive because of the price of the base material silicon, he was optimistic that two years down the line with more availability of silicon and development of market, there will be more ability to develop PV industry. "Efforts are to develop third generation technology to reach the common man's use. When in terms of price, we can reach to $1 per kW, then this renewable energy technology can start competing with the grid electricity", concluded Mr Solanki.

In his welcome address, Dr Amiya Kumar Sahu, Chairman, CII WR Subcommittee on Environment Conservation & Managing Director, ECON Pollution Control Private Limited mentioned that Israel was very strong in various technologies and that Indian companies should benefit from cooperation with Israel companies.

GITA and MATIMOP, Israel in collaboration with DST, MNRE and CII has kicked off the series of interactive platforms starting in Mumbai, followed by similar platforms in Bangalore and Delhi, to create opportunities for Indian industry to collaborate to Israeli industry in Renewable Energy areas. Any joint project between India and Israel thus generated, would be eligible for seeking financial support from GITA and MATIMOP for implementation.

Sourced From: Confederation of Indian Industry